And so it began: A Minbari point of view
by Ayame007
Summary: The story takes place a couple of years before the series and goes until well after. It handles the Minbari point of view on anything, from the Shadow Wars and beyond, as well as the many social intrigues between Castes and Clans
1. Chapter 1: The Dynamic Duo

About 'and so it began' - preface

In our story, we follow the general beliefs and guidelines laid down by JMS, but we have adjusted certain views here and there to be to our liking. We have done a lot of research on Minbari society and have unfortunately come upon certain contradictions and certain gaps. It is therefore that we have decided to take our personal view on Minbari society and expand this.

The differences lye not so much in physical differences as layed down in the Minbari Federation fact book (Aside from the stamina of some of our heroes of course!), but more on the society of the Minbari culture. As has been explained throughout the series, the structure has certain contradictions with the Federation Fact book, which we have 'adjusted' to our liking.

For example: The Warrior Caste consists solely of Clans, there are no Families. The Families are restricted to the Religious Caste, whereas the Guilds are the collective of the Worker Caste.

Minbari society at the point of our writing is struggling with itself. After the war against the Humans, the Warrior Caste have never let go of their grudge against the Religious Caste. These continue to treat the warriors with disdain, which will escalate into Civil War as it does at the middle of season 4. We have tried to emphasise the fundamental differences between these two main Castes and how the Worker Caste is always 'stuck in between'.

The Religious Caste sees itself as progressive, however clouds society with covering normal everyday events with more and more rituals and regulations.  
They look down on native feelings and seek higher spiritual meaning. By doing so, they are kicking the shins of the Warrior Caste, who are more and more returning to the methods of old, for they worked.  
For example: with the Warrior Caste, inter clan marriage is allowed under special circumstances, but are more common than inter family marriages with the Religious Caste.

Love is a difficult thing amongst Minbari.

The Religious and the Warrior Caste stand across each other with their conceptual understanding of this, while the Worker Caste tries to find the best of both worlds out of it.  
However, because of the heavy impact the Religious Satai of the Grey Council have had on Minbari society since Valen, many of their 'beliefs' have forced their way into the Warriors' society.

Many Warriors still struggle with that today. They are naturally more inclined to follow their feelings, for they must if they are to survive in battle. It is common for Warriors to have had several 'mates' before finding the one they wish to spend the rest of their life with, however by the bidding of the Religious Caste they are forbidden to 'join' unless they are to be wed. It is a given that not every Warrior is capable of living by this rule.

Religious Caste society forces a different light on love amongst their youngsters. Love is about the spiritual connection between the two of them, not the physical. It is therefore rare to find a Religious Caste who has had several 'mates' before finding his or her true love, as it is looked down upon by the Caste. Physical bonding is nothing compared to the spiritual connection one can have with another.  
They do believe in a very great variety of spiritual connections, controversially enabling them to love several partners at the same time, albeit on a different level. They are however always restricted to a single mate, as are all Minbari.

All Castes believe in the sanctuary of marriage, however as the marriage grows older, many couples drift apart and seek their own meaning. This is phenomenon often found with members of the Religious Caste, as they wonder off in search of new spiritual companions.

Warriors carry their feistiness in their heart, with all consequences that go with it. However, the rituals belonging to the Caste and Clan are sacred.

The largest problem with Minbari society regarding love is their high emotional connection to everything and – especially for the Warrior Caste – high passion drive. Masking all of this with rituals over many hundreds of years in an attempt to control the population has done them no good.

The Worker Caste apply the rules of both Castes as they see fit, creating a shift in the Caste.

As for cross-caste unions, we follow the point of view as is stated in the MFFB. It is not forbidden as such, but is considered an insult to the Caste (and Clan/Family/Guild) so is generally avoided. Only in exceptional situations it is allowed.

Further interpretations will become clear as the story proceeds.

This story requires basic knowledge of the Babylon Five universe, created by J. Michael Straczynski, all rights reserved.  
The characters portrayed in this fanfic are a product of our creativity and purely fictional. Any resemblance to certain individuals is purely coincidental.

Questions, feedback or others:  
(Please include 'B5 fanfic' in your subject!)

* * *

The dynamic Duo

"How much longer until we get there?", a bored female voice asked her companion.  
"Another 30 minutes according to this display... 45 according to my calculations", Varas replied sarcastically.

45 minutes. Damn, 45 more minutes on this way-too-small-and-scruffy transport ship. It didn't even fit the description of a transport ship, it was a cubicle, Renati thought.

Stupid Centauri and their cost efficiency. Whenever they built something for the higher class it was luxurious and spacious, but if something was constructed for the common man it was downright cramp.

Renati and Varas had had quite the culture shock the first time they had been on a Centauri world. She remembered it well. It must have been what now, 7 years ago?  
They had gone to a different planet – she couldn't recall the name – to _ask_ the Centauri more about the Humans. The War was raging well at that time, but the Minbari were hungry for more. The Warrior Caste was without mercy, but not always at the best deposition of information. Lennon had assigned several Anla'Shok in assistance of their needs on worlds containing possible knowledge on the race now known as the Humans.

Renati and Varas were assigned to scout the planet and interrogate one of the Centauri tradesmen that was rumoured to have had dealings with the Humans. Travelling incognito as always, the two Anla'Shok had made their way through the city to the man's mansion.  
His mansion was as expected: decadent and big. It were the city's houses that had left an impression on Renati. They were much smaller than expected, much less Centauri.  
'Efficient space allocation' the Centauri called it. Discrimination is what the Anla'Shok made of it – in common of course, for there is no Minbari word for discrimination.

"You're distracted, what's the matter?", Varas asked her Religious companion.  
"Huh?", Renati got shaken out of her reminiscence and looked up at Varas standing across from her. Of course, they were standing. Seating would have been too comfortable for the people using public transport every day...  
"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking back, that's all", Renati admitted. Varas smiled from under her cape and held the strap above her head a bit tighter as the transport leaned over to the left in a sharp turn. Unlike Renati, she enjoyed travelling like this. Varas liked to experience different technologies from different cultures as best as she could.  
"To confirm our superiority", she explained to any who asked, but in reality it was to compare. Sometimes other races _did_ have good ideas, but most Minbari were too prideful to notice.

Varas was not well acquainted with the concept of pride. Shunned by other Religious Castes for being 'too strange', she had spent the larger part of her life growing up by herself – even in crèche friends had been few.  
The children of the Seventh Fane of Mir had soon formed social groups that did not include her, but Varas had never really minded. She liked solitude. There was never a risk of being disturbed by another's annoying company.

Nevertheless, Renati's company was one she enjoyed. Renati, like her, was a bit of an outcast herself. She was of Chu'Domo, not Mir. First Fane, if Varas wasn't mistaken.  
But the clan wasn't too fond of Renati. She was known for her _independence_. Renati had a knack for challenging the way of the Religious Caste, more specifically the Sech's ways.

Always ready for debate, Renati was a feisty Religious Caste. She and Varas had met during Anla'Shok training after completing crèche. The two odd balls had immediately connected with each other and were usually sent out together whenever it came to coupled assignments.

More so than others, these missions were stealthy of nature. Get in, get the information and get out – but above all: don't get noticed. This was the first time they were assigned to a diplomatic mission. Neither of the females was enthusiastic about it, but it's not as if they had a choice. Even Renati knew better than to argue with Anla'Shok Na.

"We're almost there", Varas reminded her friend of the time. She noticed the loud Centauri next to Renati getting on her nerves. "Just a little longer", Varas calmed her.  
She noticed Renati rolling her eyes under her hood, sighing at the c_reature_'s manners. _Civilised, my bone... _

The doors of the public transport opened as a friendly female voice announced: "Camp Nau, City of Korell. Please watch your step while disembarking"  
Renati and her friend nimbly descended and inhaled the fresh air with great pleasure. "Finally, it felt like it would never end", Renati complained.  
"Don't be so damp, it'll only get better from now on", Varas comforted her.  
"It better"

The two hooded Anla'Shok headed for the entrance of the military base in front of them. A young short-haired Centauri at the entrance asked them for proper clearance.  
"We are expected by Colonel Leville, special guests from the Minbari Federation", Renati spoke to him. He scoffed something through a speaker and browsed through some papers before handing over the 'clearance' passes. "Activate them whenever you reach a check point", he said and opened the gate.

Neither Varas nor Renati had any idea what exactly a 'check point' was, but the guessed they would find out soon enough. The device they were handed was small cylinder-like object, sort of like a pen, but without a writable tip. The tip was rounded on both ends and a small ring divided the object in half at the centre. There was a small hole in it, probably a sensor of some kind, Varas figured.  
"You are expected in Y-block", he said as the heavy gate closed behind them, effectively locking them in.

The military compound was average of size. It seemed to be mainly concentrated on ground troops. Renati made out only a few hangar bays suitable for war vessels. The rest had to be land oriented.  
Varas was busy comparing her downloaded map of the area to what she actually saw. Her fingers moved quickly across the surface of the touchable screen, erasing lines and adding new ones elsewhere. "Anything that looks like Y-block on that?", Renati asked her occupied friend.  
"Straight ahead, if the data is correct", she replied and continued her adjustments to the map. Accuracy of information was of the highest importance for the Anla'Shok.

The structures changed colour from one block to the next. It was actually pretty easy to find your way. All they needed to know was which one was Y, for there were no clear letter indications.

A small company of Centauri soldiers was practicing outside the barracks to their left. Basic physical exercises: push ups, sit ups, pumps and what not.  
Nothing world-changing.  
The ones who couldn't complete the exercise to the commander's liking, were shamed by taking off their shirts and continuing unprotected under the painful rays of the nearest sun.

The planet was warm above average, but the sunrays were lethal if exposed unprotected for long periods of time. The corona on the sun was much larger than average, sending more aggressive rays towards the surrounding planets.  
Of course, Varas and Renati had come prepared. The Minbari hela'mers(1) had developed a special lotion to be applied on the skin for missions on worlds such as these. Nevertheless, hiding deep inside their cape didn't hurt.

Renati snickered at the 'beer bellies' some of the Centauri had. It didn't flatter the proud soldiers, especially not in this situation. _Serves them right for leading such decadent lives,_ the Religious Caste thought.  
She looked around and then noticed the colour of the barracks on the next block was yellow.  
"Y-block?", she wondered while poking Varas in the ribs with her elbow.  
"Hmm... possibly", Varas replied and double checked on her data pad.  
"Yes, should be", she confirmed.

The females ventured forth, but were suddenly startled by an alarm. The loud noise came from the barrack behind them, where two soldiers just left and were heading their way. They rushed to apprehend the Minbari, who reflexively positioned themselves in battle stance.  
"You are trespassing on Centauri military property! Lay down your weapons at once and face the floor", one of them barked.  
Varas was flattered they realised their hands could be lethal, but did not budge. There must have been some mix up.  
"We have clearance, we are special guests to Colonel Leville", she explained.  
"Sure, and tonight I have a date with a Narn", the other one replied. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"  
"Did you not hear her the first time?", Renati replied in a sharp tongue. "We're here on behalf of Colonel Leville"  
"If that's so, why didn't you identify at the checkpoint?", the tallest of the two asked. Varas and Renati looked at each other, still unsure of what a checkpoint was or even what it looked like.  
"We were not aware there were any", Renati spoke truthfully.  
"How could you miss them?", the other Centuari exclaimed while pointing at one of the cameras hanging from a barrack. True, they had noticed the cameras, but recordings weren't odd in a place like this so they never made the link to the checkpoint.  
What was it supposed to be anyway?

"Yes, the cameras. We've seen them. What about them?", Varas replied. The taller one sighed heavily and wanted to reply, but was grabbed by the arm. "They're not Centauri", the other one whispered – audible to Renati and Varas.  
The soldier looked at them suspiciously and approached Renati. He reached out for her hood, but her hand intercepted his and pressed his fingers together. "No", she said in a calm, but commanding voice. The soldier dropped to his knees until she released her grip.  
He jested back up, rage in his eyes. "You... you... alien! We will arrest you on the charge of trespassing and... acting suspiciously! Yes, that's it! You don't need those capes for anything, you're probably up to no good!"  
His colleague rolled his eyes and took a step backwards, poking him in the ribs.  
"You idiot, they're Minbari", he had noticed.  
"So because they are Minbari they have to hide their faces? They are welcome here on Batain", the recent recruit complained.  
"No you half-wit, because their skin will burn under the sun"

The rookie's eyes widened as he felt the three gazes pierce his own. Uncomfortably he shifted on the spot and protested: "That still doesn't explain why they are here!"  
"Yes it does Mira. They are here to see the Colonel, but they probably don't know about the checkpoints", he said and stepped closer to Renati.  
"The guard at the gate handed you a device. Do you still have it?", he asked.  
"Yes", Renati replied and handed it over to him. He flicked it in his hand and activated a green ray coming from the centre of the device. He aligned it with the camera's eye until it flickered momentarily.  
"You need to authorise yourself every time before you reach a checkpoint. If you fail to do so, the alarm will go off and we will be sent out to apprehend you. It's an extra safety measure against intruders, please remember this", he explained and handed it back.

Renati was puzzled with his explanation. Why would you need _extra_ checkpoints? That was like saying the guard at the entrance isn't good enough – or not doing his job properly. Then again, Centauri didn't always exercise their professions with the level of devotion Minbari did...

After receiving instructions on the Colonel's whereabouts, they bowed and left the two arguing soldiers behind. What an odd match.

* * *

The Colonel was indisposed for the day, but would receive them tomorrow. Varas and Renati were offered a place to stay on the compound itself in order to avoid unnecessary trips back into the city. A gesture welcomed by Renati.

That night, the two Anla'Shok joined the late shift of Centauri soldiers in the mess hall for dinner. Suitable meals had been prepared for the guests: nothing too alien and of course acceptable by their system.  
Minbari and Centauri physiology couldn't be further apart. Where the Centauri liked rich, spicy foods, Minbari favoured naturally flavoured tastes. Their highly developed nervous system allowed them to taste the finer elements in a fruit or vegetable. That quality usually made everything pleasant without the addition of spices. Herbs however were often used in Minbari cuisine.  
For other races, to cook for Minbari basically came down to serving simple, non-processed or spiced meals. Bless the military cooks for taking account of that.

After their meal, the two females enjoyed a walk around the compound. During their stroll, they made good use of their time to study the environment carefully. The location of the base, the structures – or rather space – around it, the structures inside the compound, everything.

One of the structures inside the compound gave Varas' face a frown.  
"Something doesn't add up", she spoke in a soft voice. Renati leaned over to look at her data pad for explanation.  
"See those two barracks in front of us? According to the plans, they're supposed to be identical. However, the right one is clearly larger than the left one", she pointed out. Renati confirmed the abnormality with a nod. "You're right. Let's give it a closer look", Renati smiled feeling excitement headed her way.

The door to the compound was easily opened. Connecting their data pads and unleashing a decryption algorithm was enough. Varas could even calculate this one herself she noticed and scoffed at the simplicity of their technology. "At least they're not as bad as the Human's; 4 digit safety codes", Renati joked through a whisper. Snickering in unison, the two Anla'Shok snuck in the building.

It appeared to be an administration building, which was empty at night. The rooms revealed nothing of interest: records of what came in and went out, mostly weapons, food and clothing. There were no records that were out of the ordinary, nothing seemed out of place; yet the gut feeling there was more to this compound than met the eye haunted the two Anla'Shok.

They snuck around for another half an hour, but then decided to call off their fruitless hunt. Their absence from their quarters had probably been noticed, it was not good for them to raise suspicion. Yes, they were sent here on a diplomatic mission, but they're Anla'Shok. They're expected to snoop around. It's what they do.

* * *

"Come in", a posh voice ordered the assistant to lead the two Minbari into the desk of the Centauri Colonel.  
They bowed politely and removed their hoods once he closed the blind shields on the window.

"This way you can be comfortable", he spoke, "May I offer you a drink?"  
"No thank you", Renati replied in fluent Centauri.  
"Aah straight to business eh? Of course, I forgot I was dealing with Minbari. Alright then, we'll have it your way", the Colonel spoke, staring at his empty glass.  
"You informed our government of the need for an information network?", Varas prompted.  
"Yes, indeed. You see, we believe that we can be a valuable eyes and ears to you as well. With the current evolution in the universe and your unwillingness to mingle, you will need an objective point of view of what's going around you eh?", the Colonel weaselled his way into an agreement, the way only a Centauri could.

Renati was amused at the idea the Centauri still had of the Minbari. Yes, it was true, they did not openly mingle, but the Anla'Shok were on every meaningful planet and the Warrior Caste has expanded its patrolling areas by far – as far as the other side of the known universe for some.  
In a way, their stereotype vision of the Minbari comforted Renati. In the event of conflict, they would have surprise on their side.

"What would the Centauri Empire want in return for this valuable information?", Renati tried her best at diplomacy. She noticed the Centauri flinch, probably not expecting a confrontation so soon.  
He didn't have his answer ready yet, ha!  
"Well..", he stuttered, "We are a mighty race as you know, but being a mighty race makes you a large target. Our _differences_ with the Narn take up quite a few of our resources at times, leaving us unable to send our forces further into the universe in order not to disperse"  
The faces of the two females did not change, which unsettled him before he continued: "There are some places we have not yet had the chance of venturing. Rather than putting energy in new ships and crews, we thought it might be interesting to ask for a similar return value we are giving you. Fair, eh?"  
"What exactly would that be?", Varas insisted on hearing his concrete proposal. The man was not happy about replying, but was left no choice.  
"We would like to know more about a specific planet which lies beyond your border: Norsa. There are elements to our interest there", he explained.

Elements to their interest? The world he spoke of was in the Minbari protectorates: a collection of worlds inhabited by non-Minbari, but enjoying the protection of the race in exchange for minerals and resources. Its location is remote, below Minbari space, perfectly out of sight of other races.

It was quite the accomplishment for the Centauri to know the name of the planet in the first place. Before they could give him a yes or no – which they couldn't without the Council's consent anyway – they needed more information. Why were the Centauri suddenly interested in Norsa. A background check and further digging was required.

"What type of information is it that you require?", it was Renati who snapped out of thoughts first.  
"Oh just general information: about the planet's composition, atmosphere, environment, species etcetera. Anything of use really", the Colonel explained his point of view.

It was difficult to tell if he had been told to do this or if this was his own plan. More so, it was even more difficult to see whether this was confined to military or reached into politics. Wherever this was going, Renati didn't like it.

* * *

Renati and Varas left the meeting pleased. They had obtained all the information they needed and that without resulting too aggressive negotiations.  
Lucky day, I guess

The Colonel however was not pleased – at all – with the publicity he was getting. Yes his career had just boosted 10 years further down the line, but there were too many prying eyes on him for this deal.

It was an order that had been passed through from higher in the chain of command. A challenge, most definitely, but one he didn't appreciate. He had too much on his mind to be worried about a trade of information with the Minbari.  
Working with them never paid off anyhow, the Minbari always ended up as the victor one way or the other – even if it was non-competitive.

He would try and round this deal up as fast as possible, even if it meant failing to meet the objective. It was more important to keep the other missions going than to successfully start this new one.  
_By tomorrow, they will be gone_, he smiled content as he sipped from his now Brivari-filled glass.

* * *

That night Varas woke her friend for another closer inspection of the building they had visited. "There's apparently a party going on for one of the high placed military officers who's going away. It's the perfect opportunity for us", she had insisted.  
"You're right. Nothing better than a collection of drunk Centauri cramped in a building for us to investigate at ease", she smiled back.

They made their way back to the building in question, avoiding the checkpoints where needed. Varas connected her data pad to the door's lock, opening it just as smoothly as before.  
'Show me the plans again', Renati signalled her friend in Minbari sign language. She wasn't going to risk even a whisper – you never know if one of them had stayed behind.

They looked at the plans together and drew every room in great detail. Everything checked out until they arrived in a hallway with stairs leading to the next levels.  
'The centre, it's too large to be a stair support, don't you think?', Renati pointed out. Varas nodded and gestured they move the bookcase filled with awards and medals that was standing against the wall.

The bookcase was heavy, even if it carried the egos of all the awarded Centauri in it, it remained too heavy for a bookcase. It took a couple more seconds before they realised it wasn't an ordinary bookcase, it was attached to the wall.  
'Probably the entrance', Varas signalled.  
Very carefully, Renati moved her fingers across the surface of the wood, searching for any irregularities. The wood was smooth, treated probably and felt old. The old age contradicted with the smoothness of the planks: old wood normally bends and erodes slightly, but this hadn't. The plank below it however did.

She moved in front of it and noticed a very light difference in colour. It wasn't much, actually it was barely noticeable, but because now she knew she was looking for she could see it. She wasn't sure if Centauri could, but it didn't matter.  
She placed her fingers on the side of the plank and pressed it backwards, into the cupboard. After a soft push, the plank moved about an inch and suddenly the bookcase detached from the wall on one side.

Jackpot.

Silently Varas pushed the case further from the wall so they could easily slip through. There were stairs leading downwards into a damp and moist environment. Both females held their retracted Denn'Bok in their hands, ready to strike when opportunity came.  
The stairs lead to a long, dark passageway that lead further under the compound. At the far end there was a dim light – and voices.  
Renati held up two fingers to Varas, who nodded. As they enclosed on the opening, their bodies seemed to merge with the shadow hitting the wall. They were indeed much better suited for stealth missions: the only thing you could make out now were their lively eyes.

The room on the other side of the opening was some kind of a hallway with doors on each side. Many doors actually.  
The doors were heavy and bolted, with a small opening a little over eye's height. Two armed Centauri were patrolling the hallway up and down, bored but attentive.  
'Prison', Renati signalled to her friend.  
'For what?', she asked.  
'No idea, but will find out!', her fingers replied as her face grinned. Renati leapt into the room and swung her Denn'Bok at the nearest skull. To the Centauri it seemed as if she had appeared out of thin air. The first one didn't even get a chance to scream, while the other one was so obsessed with Renati, he hadn't noticed Varas yet. She ran past Renati and her victim and effectively swiped the Centauri. He yelped as he fell to the floor, but was soon silenced by a thud of Varas' Denn'Bok on his temple.  
"Quiet", she whispered with a smile.

"What are they?", Renati asked no one in particular while peering through one of the cell door holes. "No idea", Varas replied after joining her and taking a peek herself. "But there are many in one cage.  4 in this one"  
Renati shook her head and wondered. What would Centauri soldiers keep locked up together hidden from the public?

Narn.

Renati threw Varas one of the guard's keys and she opened the cell door in front of her. The foul stench of rotten meat, fecies and sweat overcame her. She immediately jumped back and gagged, but restrained herself quickly.

Four Narns were cramped into a cell barely big enough for one. They were non-responsive, but 3 of them were alive Renati could tell. She dimmed the light on her illumi-crystal and set it to a red, more comfortable light for the Narn to handle.  
From what she could tell, they were badly injured. Gaping wounds scarred their upper arms and faces, while bruises coloured their bodies. They were wearing nothing more than a piece of cloth around their waist.  
Chains held them in place, some to the wall, others to each other.

Slaves.  
The Anla'Shok were disgusted by the idea. No matter what the outcome of any war may be, slavery should never be a consequence. It was roughshod, bestial even. A concept eluding both of them.

One of the Narn moved his hand to support his body. He positioned himself better before opening his eyes. "Can you speak?", Renati asked.  
He nodded barely noticeably.  
"Can you tell us what happened?", she interrogated the prisoner.  
"Centauri.. capture", he tried in a broken Common. Renati noticed the wounds on his lip split as he spoke and winced.  
"How long have you been here?", Varas wondered.  
The Narn was quiet for several moments, until hoarsely admitting: "Don't know"  
"Well no matter, we're getting you out of here", Renati replied.  
"We are?", Varas replied in surprise.  
"We can't leave them here Varas, we need to take them with us. We need to shelter them", she replied.  
"How will we do that?", Varas exclaimed.  
"Worries for when we get out of here. Let's focus on that first", she said, "Do you think you could start up that transport vehicle next to the building? It looked big enough"  
"What are you going to do?", Varas wondered.  
"Unchain them and get them on the transport. Then we ride to the trailer with the space transports in there and escape", Renati explained her plan.  
"What if there are no transports in there?", Varas worried.  
"Then we'll have to be more inventive", Renati smiled as she showed off the key to the chains she discovered in one of the guard's trousers.

In mere minutes, Varas and Renati had freed the Narn in that cell and the others from their chains. In total there were 24 Narn in the cells, 18 still alive. 'We leave the bodies', Varas had signalled Renati. She wasn't going to take on extra weight, this escapade was difficult enough already.  
Those who could still walk used the last of their energy to drag their wounded Narn friends with them. Renati helped dragging 2 others while Varas only carried one. She jumped in the front of the transport, the equivalent of a large Human truck, and snickered again. Centauri, too keen on routines.  
Within the blink of an eye she managed to start the truck's engine and dashed outside again to help Renati uploading the rest of the Narn.  
"That's all of them, go!", her friend whispered as they took off direction hangar bay.

Renati found the truck had a device on its window shield that allowed them to get past the checkpoints without trouble. "Perhaps it'll work", she said as she aimed it at the sensor in front of the closed hangar bay door.  
It took a while for it to register, but when it finally did, a satisfying beeb sounded and the gate opened.

"Let's hurry! You never know when the party will end", Varas spoke, slightly nervous. She had been on many dangerous missions before, but every time she had had sufficient time to prepare. This was different: an impulsive mission by Renati's doing. This couldn't possibly end well.  
"Don't worry, they're Centauri! They'll party into the night", Renati reassured her friend.  
"What if they come out here and fiend us?", Varas couldn't help herself.  
"Why would they do that? The food, drinks and entertainment are inside. Varas, I think you underestimate the corruption of the Centaurian mind", she grinned.  
"Now, let's pick", Renati spoke and gestured at the many transport vessels in the bay. There were small ones and very large ones, but no medium-sized _regular_ ships.  
Just their luck.

"Let's take the big one then", Renati sighed and headed towards it. The bay doors opened automatically, but she scanned the area before venturing forth. "No life forms found in allocated location", the text on her screen let her know.  
"Great, let's bring them all in here", she said perkily. Renati's enthusiasm puzzled even Varas at times. She would light up as soon as she can help another. Helping these destined-for-death Narn was an understatement of helping, hence the very radiant Renati. What a spirit.

Suddenly the alarm sounded in the distance. "You're kidding!", Renati exclaimed as she took her binoculars to take a closer look at what was happening. Three armed transport vessels loaded with Centauri soldiers were headed their way. On one of the trucks, Colonel Lovell was busy giving orders to his troops.  
Let's show him!

"Varas! Start the engines, we have to get out of here!", Renati yelled to her partner.  
"Hurry!", she replied dashing off in search of the bridge. In the mean time, Renati helped the rest of the Narn onto the ship – their passageway to safety.

"Does this thing have jump capacity?", Renati asked as she came onto the bridge.  
"No, I don't think it doesn't. It's too small to be able to and the manual mentions nothing about it", she said while digitally flicking through the recorded manual of the vessel.  
"After burners?"  
"Nope", Varas replied sceptically.  
"Thrusters?!          Anything that can shoot us up into the sky!", Renati asked frantically as she saw the mob of soldiers enclosing.  
"Well, there's one thing here but I don't know what it means", Varas spoke. "Vhlets", she tried hard to pronounce it.  
"Never heard of it", Renati replied while still peering through her binoculars as she closed the walkway. "What's it next to?"  
"Between weapons and engines", Varas replied with a wince.  
"Let's hope the universe is on our side tonight then. Push it!", she ordered.  
"Renati! You're mad!"  
"Push it Varas! Unless you want to find out what Centauri plasma rifles do to your skin, I suggest you push the button and get us out of here!", Renati commanded once again.

In theory, she outranked Varas. Renati had – regardless of being a religious of Caste – earned her title as Alyt a long time ago, but had never persued it to a higher rank. It was not uncommon for a member of a different Caste to be awarded a military rank for their outstanding performance in times of War.  
But it was from a time long gone anyway. The Anla'Shok had evolved since then. The standard missions involve much less space flight and more world exploration. The flight is just a means to get to the target. For many it is no longer the target.

Varas closed her eyes and blessed the controls around her in a speed payer. "May Valen be with us", she hoped and pressed the dreaded button.  
Suddenly, a magnificent force built up under the ship. It started shaking heavily, jerking on solid ground. The Narn inside who were complaining about their broken ribs were the last of Varas' concern.  
Why weren't they going up?

She studied the panel further, but there wasn't much she could make of it. Yes she knew Centauri, fairly well actually, but the vocabulary they used to label their battle ships was hardly common knowledge.  
There was a recognisable pattern however. Ever since she had pushed the button, several lights had sprung on in a linear pattern, going from dark to bright.  
"Renati! Wait!", she yelped as she saw her friend headed for the weapon's system.  
"Either I shoot them or they shoot us Varas!", she called back.  
"No wait! It's finished – I think!", she said and slammed the last light that lit up, which was a button.

With considerable speed, the transport jested upwards towards the roof of the hangar. In a reflexive move, Renati was able to focus the Centauri turret gun upwards and blew a hole through the roof to reduce the damage on the ship.  
Bless the Centauri for having weapons on _all_ of their ship classes. Paraniod beings!

The soldiers in the trucks unleashed heavy bursts of plasma fire on them, but the ship's hull could take the damage. They were thrusted upwards into the atmosphere, barely controllable. Varas kept the ship from toppling over as she leaned on the controls with all their might.  
_Primitives!_, she cursed the Centauri people.  
"Don't worry, I've got it!", she reassured Renati who found herself stuck between the gun and the wall.  
_Primitives_...

When they finally left the atmosphere and entered space, Renati and Varas realised their adventure was just about to begin. Two Centauri heavy cruisers that were circling the planet would head for them any minute now... the message from below should come through, no?

"Can we scramble their transmissions?", Renati wondered.  
"Not with this technology", Varas scoffed.  
"But did you check? You know how Centauri are. They're so corrupt they've probably built sabotaging their own into their ships as a standard function", Renati pointed out.  
Varas looked at the controls again, muttering: "Good point"  
She moved her fingers over the controls very nimbly, in search for a solution.

But their hope was shattered quickly when they heard the sound of a Centauri voice coming through the communication channel.  
"Intruders identify yourselves! This is General Urza Varia, commander of the Black Rose. Surrender or be fired upon!", a young, but experienced Centauri ordered.  
Renati looked at Varas and closed her eyes.  
"Any ideas?", Varas asked her friend.  
"Thinking... thinking...", Renati replied.  
"Intruders! You have one minute to respond! You will be shot at if you do not respond", the typically raspy Centauri voice sounded through the speakers again.  
"Well firing is out of the option.. and with no jump gate around, this is going to be difficult. Perhaps we can talk our way out of this one?", Renati wondered.  
"That's going to be your burden then", Varas shoved responsibility over to her friend.  
"Don't worry, he's Centauri. How smart can they be?", Renati's stereotype vision of the species clouded her clear judgement.  
She pressed the button for the outgoing call and took a deep breath.

"General Varia, lay down your arms at once if you value the diplomatic relations of the Centauri Republic!", another voice sounded through the speaker. Renati and Varas looked at each other, shocked.  
"Akel?", Renati whispered involuntarily.  
"What? What is the meaning of this?", the Centauri exclaimed on the comm. channel.  
Suddenly a jump point opened just fragments away from the Centauri ship. A Minbari Sharlin Cruiser, weapons armed, greeted the general.  
"Lay down your arms General, that is an order", the female appearance of Shai Alyt Akel Zen showed up on the monitor. Akel was the Anla'Shok mentor of Varas and Renati, Warrior Caste.

At first the Centauri wanted to protest, but Akel quickly calmed him down. "I am preparing a transport to board your ship to explain the situation. Please stand by to receive me", she spoke determined.

There was no saying no to a Minbari general wanting to board your ship. It was a demonstration of honour and trust if they did, for you could easily assault their ship – or them for that matter – in their absence.  
Akel was not only a determined Warrior, but an exceptional negotiator. She had picked up a thing or two from Anla'Shok training and had incorporated it in her reign as Shai Alyt. "Because it improves the way of the Warrior", was her philosophy.  
It appeared to work very well for her.

* * *

The impressive Vonilbok(2) commander boarded the ship and was greeted by the General as was customary. She wore her standard black Vonilbok garment, decorated heavily with accomplishments. These were indicated by small crystal cut outs that had been fitted onto her garment on her shoulder pads. This way, they would not immediately confront others, but the Warrior carried them with him at all times.

Though most Minbari were kind and gentle of spirit, the healthy spark of competition was not lost to them. Everyone liked to accomplish something in their lives, whether it was to Master a craft or to become Shai Alyt.

Anything that allowed them to serve the people.

Unlike what one would assume, the strive of competition was not greater amongst the Warrior Caste than amongst other Castes. Workers could be equally competitive when it came to completing the greatest structure or singing the best song. With the Warriors it was just more outspoken. They were the ones who would most often confront others with it and carry it on to other Castes.  
There had been manier discussion between one Shai Alyt and a Master Sech of the Religious Caste over who had Mastered the fighting technique better. Interesting afterthought given that the Religious Castes are the ones who teach the Warriors how to fight in crèche.

Shai Alyt Akel Zen was one of those proud Warriors, who didn't back down when another would try to steal her lightning. However, like every Minbari, she was honourable almost to the point of obsession. She lived by the Jen-aot'la(3), carried it in her heart and spirit with every action that she took.

She has never fought amongst her own, as the teachings advise her to. Nor does she see the fighting against some species in war a reason for radical behaviour towards them. Both sides do believe what they are doing is right, however this doesn't mean she is merciful. As the code states: "Weapons are made to kill, Warriors are made to wield them".  
Akel does not hesitate in battle, she will go for the kill whenever the opportunity arises. However, the first code of the Warrior – A Warrior's actions are his words, his thoughts and his soul – obliges her to make every death an honourable one. Death by her sword is quick and painless, a swift passing into death she believes every Warrior deserves.  
Fierce, but just. A pride to the Wind Swords.

But today, she had come to do something exceptional – however, not unexpected.  
She would save the faces of her two Anla'Shok and end this Centauri charade. Yes, they probably did make mistakes, but the fault here lay on the Centauri side. Akel decided to keep that ace up her sleeve.

"General Akel Zen, do you mind explaining your interference?", the commander prompted her in his eccentric voice after saluting properly.  
"I will explain everything once we are undone of prying eyes", she replied, ignoring his mispronunciation of her title.  
It was a common flaw amongst Centauri officers. Being one of the races that have the longest diplomatic relations with the Minbari, they believe it comes with certain _privileges_. One of them being the corruption of the Minbari language.

General Varia gestured her to accompany him to a meeting room deeper within the ship. Akel studied the corridors carefully and unnoticeably jotted down notes on her pad in her pocket.  
_New voice recognition system and different layout to the previous class. Carries less, but heavier. How interesting_, she thought and noticed the general duck when passing through the doorway.

He was tall, very tall. His body was slender and fresh, but his face spoke of experience. The bright spark in his eyes was a giveaway for his young age, together with the sharp features of his face.  
Nevertheless this man was a general. Debated, yes, but he carried the title nonetheless.

"Now, general, do you care to explain to me fully and with every exact detail your little show and that of your _children?_"  
The general walked onto thin ice with this statement, but Akel was keeping the temperature of the lake down until she got what she wanted.  
"My _children _are some of the best investigators my people have. Today we have proven this again. Please do not dishonour their names", she rightfully put him in his place.  
"Enlighten me then, Shai Alyt", the Centauri chose his words carefully to regain her favour. He was slick this one, smarter than Akel had thought. Well-trained in negotiations apparently. Thank Valen she went for plan B.

"The Minbari that have visited your planet posed as negotiators for the Norsa concern, because we suspect one of your officers to be guilty of war crimes", she said, heading straight for the objective.  
"War crimes? That's a serious allegation that cannot simply be thrown in the debate for the worth of it", he backed away, unsure of what this Minbari female was up to.  
"We are well aware of that. We also know what shame it would bring your people if this were to be revealed. That is why we wanted to handle the matter quietly and with as little fuss as possible", she weaved him into her web. "But your colonel Leville saw otherwise"  
"Leville? It was Colonel Mays who contacted me on this matter", the Centauri general was confused.  
"I do not know, nor do I care of your internal politics general Varia", Akel replied slightly irritated. He was missing the point. "It was colonel Leville who has made it very difficult for us to keep these crimes hidden. He _escalated_ the situation", she stressed.

The general focussed on the matter at hand again and forgot about the irregularity.  
"What crimes have been committed then?", he wondered in a calm voice. His mood had changed, from challenging, to careful. Akel loved it.  
"The imprisonment in unacceptable conditions and enslavement of Narn civilians"  
The general raised a brow and wanted to reply, but Akel beat him to it: "On a Centauri planet"

General Varia involuntarily closed his eyes. Yes the Centauri and the Narn had their differences, yes certain things have happened in the past that shouldn't have, but Urza wasn't a man to dwell on things – any kind of thing.  
War is a constant element of passing time, it's as simple as that. It's what we learn from it that makes us into a better species. Carrying hatred to one another was not learning by his book. He did not understand the vision of so many Centauri – or Narn for that matter.

The general did not show his discontent, as expected. Tension did fill the air however, as he tried to come up with the best possible way out of this situation.  
The Centauri had just started another set of important trade negotiations, one of them with the Humans. If word of these war crimes would get out, it would be nefast for some of those relations. Humans _especially,_ reacted badly to species submitting another, whether forcibly or not. The gods only know why.

He stroke his hand across his chin, his almost ringless fingers catching the attention of Akel. Centauri history and experience had taught her that high placed men carry much jewellery. However, this Centauri only carried a single ring around his left middle finger. What an odd type he was.  
"I presume this is where you propose how we settle this quietly nonetheless?", he prompted Akel with a change of tactic: from the opponent to the victim.  
Crafty, incredibly crafty!

Akel's lips hid the grin she eagerly wanted to carry and replied in a calm and controlled tone: "That is why I insisted on speaking with you in person, yes"  
"What is your offer?"  
"Let the ship go and we will see this as an act of redemption of your people. We will ignore this happened to save face for your race", Akel spoke. She drove a very hard bargain, but had the Centauri corned and squealing for a hand to pull him out.  
"Are the Narn onboard?", the apparently uninformed general asked.  
"Those who survived, yes", Akel could not lie unless it was to save face for another; in this short time, there was no evasive reply for her to use. Then again, there was nothing wrong with this truth.

Urza Varia sighed and looked in the strong Warrior's eyes, unafraid: "You put me in an incredibly difficult situation. How am I going to explain the disappearance of a transport ship in orbit and under my gunpoint to my superiors?"  
"Would you rather worry about what life is like as a shamed race after the war crimes of your people are revealed?", she confronted him. Urza bit his tongue, he wanted to reply, but this is a battle he had lost. The Minbari simply outclassed him in aces and wit. It was time to throw in the towel.

"You may take the ship with you on one condition", he tried. Akel did all she could to raise an eyebrow and listened.  
"In the interest of improving diplomatic relations everywhere, I would like to personalise the original proposition your investigators were called here for", he prompted.

Akel was puzzled. This came out of nowhere. What did he want?

Noticing the Minbari's confusion, he addressed her in his best Vik: "Many of the Centauri officers are not the honourable men I would like for them to be, however, one warrior to another, I can assure you I am. I take great pride in my knowledge of other cultures. One cannot fare a war if one does not know the enemy. It is not only disrespectful, but simply inefficient.  
The same goes for times of peace. In 4 out of 7 cases(4) war originates from a misunderstanding between cultures. If one understands the culture better, one can avoid needless war – or be more efficient in unavoidable conflict.

I have heard of your many informants and investigators across the universe. You Minbari have been spreading out for a while now, unnoticed to the greater eye, but there are those of us who know. I trust you have a great amount of knowledge on other species: trade relations, interests, general intelligence – not military.

I wish to propose an exchange of mutual intelligence between myself and you, in order to enrichen both our knowledge pools"

Akel wasn't sure at first if he was trying to trick her, but further arguments convinced her he was sincere. Regardless, she did not drop her guard and countered the proposal.  
"With a minor adjustment I see value in this agreement. You will not hold this exchange of information with myself, but with one of the informants. It puts you closer to the source"  
"But further from your power?", he asked with a smile.  
Akel actually laughed at his joke. "Indeed", she grinned this time.  
"You are indeed a Warrior general Varia", she complimented him, "But there is much experience within you. More than your age allows. It puzzles me", she spoke as she rose.  
"I guess that mystery will be up to your informant to unravel"

footnotes

(1) - Doctors _(Adrenato)_

(2) - Wind Sword: The Wind Swords are one of the 5 remaining Warrior Caste Clans. Mainly focused on offensive battle tactics, the members of this Clan are usually the first to go into battle. Stereotyping the ideal fighter, many of them have a tendacy to fanatics in pretty much anything. They are well known for their impulsiveness as well as their bravery

(3) - Minbari Warrior code (consisting out of 6 rules):  
A Warrior's actions are his words, his thoughts and his soul Weapons are made to kill, Warriors are made to wield them When Warriors fight amongst themselves, only the enemy can win Every side in war believes it is doing what is right Death is a Warrior's gift, a Warrior's price and a Warrior's curse A Warrior fights for life, his own and that of his people. Each of these rules in interpreted differently by the Clans. For opposite clans such as the Wind Swords and Moon Shields, these interpretations may differ greatly.

(4) - The Centuari metric system is based on 7, not 10. The Minbari is based on 11


	2. Chapter 2: First contact

**First contact**

"Quadrant 7 by 11 by 2 clear", a voice spoke through the communicator in Akel's armguard.  
"Quadrant 7 by 11 by 5 clear", another voice followed soon after.  
"Good", she replied without lifting the communicator to her lips. "Finish your sweep and return to 7 by 12 by 1. I will pick you up there with the Tredano"  
"Another job well done", Varas smiled as she stretched her legs, lifting them off the thrusters for a second. Another Nial fighter crossed her close by and then followed on her wing. Renati was smiling. Not just any smile, but that mischievous smile she carried often whenever she had an idea that got them into trouble.

"What is it?", Varas asked through a sigh.  
"I think we should do an extra sweep", she suggested.  
"We checked everything Renati. Our borders are clear, just as they always are. And if they weren't, the Warrior Caste would have intervened already. I don't understand why Akel sends us on border patrol – of our own borders! That's for our Warriors to protect, Anla'Shok patrol foreign borders. Why is she restricting us to Minbari space?", Varas wondered out loud.  
"Perhaps she wants us to be Warriors", Renati joked, but Varas failed to see the humour.  
"Oh don't worry Varas, it's her way of punishing us for the Centauri mishap", Renati smiled as she playfully twirled her Nial fighter around its axis.

Generally, Renati didn't like flying. The bigger ships yes, a small carrier, a battle cruiser, but Nial fighters – the horror of confinement! Even though they were twice the size other species' standard fighters were, Renati loathed them.  
However, flying with Varas was different. There was less stress – probably because of the odd-ball's excellent flying skills. It felt as if there was always someone watching her.  
With Varas, the confinement of the fighter transformed in the freedom of walking in space.  
To most others, she was odd and shunned. No one liked to be paired up with her, however being Minbari they were more discreet about it than any Human would. Renati however believed Anla'Shok Na couldn't have made a better match.

"Never mind the 18 Narn that had survived thanks to our escapade", Varas complained and derailed Renati's train of thought.  
"Of course there's that, but you know I think she has come to expect that kind of thing of us. Ever since the manoeuvre we pulled on IO-", Renati commented  
"Ha!", Varas interrupted her friend in laughter, "The manoeuvre _you_ pulled on IO!"  
"You helped!", she retaliated.  
"Yes, because you asked me to! But I told you before I didn't support it. I never thought generals would be that easily fooled", she retaliated.  
"Good judgement", Renati grinned kiddingly. Varas didn't mind being teased by her friend. She could take a beating and give one back.  
"Perhaps. Regardless, that's why you got credit for it", she replied.  
"Yes I never got that", Renati replied, her mind in reminisce, "Why were you so reluctant of accepting recognition?"  
"Renati it was your idea; yes I helped you execute the plan, but if it had been up to me I wouldn't have fired. I would have waited and we would have had a lot more casualties", she spoke with a sad voice and remembered the moment.

Renati and Varas had cleared a minefield of tremor-triggered bombs surrounding IO and thus clearing a path for the Warrior fleet. They remained in orbit of the planet however, against default protocol. They were supposed to get in, take out the mines and get out. But they both found it a good idea to inspect the defences of the planet further.  
To their surprise they found far less resistance than expected. There were only 13 main carriers hovering in front of the planet's lines, waiting to ambush anything that got through.

They gave the clear to the fleet to assault the Humans straight away; however Renati had another trick up her sleeve. Together with Varas they circled the planet unseen and appeared in the back of the Human ships. During the time they were getting to the other side of the planet, they charged their weapons to maximum.

A Nial fighter can then launch 3 major bursts, equivalent to the smallest shot of the fusion cannon of a Morsshin carrier, before needing to recharge.

Renati's idea was to re-emerge from the darkness behind the Human ships at the exact moment the Minbari fleet arrived and fire from behind. She hoped to confuse them in that manner and put them in a serious disadvantage.  
The move however was not without risk. If they would fail and the enemy realised it were mere Nial fighters shooting at them, they were defenceless long enough to be taken out even by a Human fighter on manual.

Varas had – obviously – been reluctant, but Renati had pushed through her will by counting on her friendship.  
The move worked a lot better than anticipated. After their joint bursts took out one of the destroyers, six of the other 13 turned to face them, thereby exposing their vulnerable backs to the Sharlin and other cruisers launching a full assault on them.  
Even though the Humans should have had visual on the two Minbari Nial fighters firing at them from behind, it was probably the high rate of confusion and unbelief that fighters were never alone that brought them down so easily.

The Minbari people didn't lose a single soul in that strike, an event that happened less than their pride allowed them to admit.

That day, Renati was taken aboard the Sharlin cruiser Trigati by her mentor Akel and was awarded the rank of Alyt by Zha'den Na(1) Branmer. The event brought back mixed feelings for Varas as well as for Renati, not because of Varas' distance from the recognition, but because of the Rigel 3 massacre that happened soon after. An event not often spoken of, but carved in the memories of the Fi'Sularae(2).

"It shouldn't have happened in the first place", Renati broke the silence with the last thought leaving her mind. Varas looked at her friend flying next to her, feeling guilty for bringing it up.  
"Tell me Renati, where are we going?"  
The Religious Caste snapped out of her trance and smiled. "You mean, we are?"  
"Don't I always follow you wherever you go?", Varas teased.

Renati broke off formation and flew away. Following at medium speed, Varas calculated where her friend was headed.  
"7 by 1 by 5?", she queried.  
"Rumours", Renati replied.  
"Oh no… who and what this time?", Varas switched to auto pilot.  
"Vitri told me he had spotted something strange there last week", she replied.  
"Vitri? You believe the Worker Caste who never gets his bone out of the engine room?", Varas mocked her friend.  
"It has a window", Renati stated blankly.  
"Renati", Varas sighed, "You should stop chasing rumours. They either lead to nothing or escalate. In any case, the end result is not good"  
"We're Anla'Shok, finding out the difference between the nothings and everythings is what we do for living! And what better way to find out than to check it out for yourself?", Renati grinned.  
"Indomitable", Varas sighed and switched back to manual.

* * *

More flying – a lot more flying - brought the two Anla'Shok to the location in question. To Varas' surprise, they were not disappointed with more blackness. In the distance, their scanners picked up some activity.  
'Full stealth', Varas received through text from Renati. They changed the configuration of their ships to fly slower, but virtually undetected – especially to inferior technology, which of course for the Minbari was everything but the Vorlon.

'What in Valen's name is that?', Renati's screen lit up when they enclosed on the phenomenon. She couldn't quite make it out herself. There were several ships gathered in a small location and it looked like – well it looked like they were building something in space. A huge space platform, or the likes of it.  
Her ship's scanners were busy deciphering the information, while she manually zoomed in on one of the ships.  
'Can't be up to no good', she messaged back when she saw what they were dealing with.  
'Why?'  
'Torrbari(3)'

A large group of Human transport ships filled the base of the structure, guarded by a minimal occupancy of war ships.  
Would they do this on purpose, to make it look not important?  
If they were building a space platform in neutral space, so close to the border of Minbari space, this would amount to no good.

But appeared too large for a space platform – even in Human standards.

The lack of guns was another oddity. Of course, this was still a rough skeleton of the finished product, but it didn't look very mobile or efficient for battle. Too… _round_.  
But if not for battle, what were they building this platform for?

'We're not alone', Varas signalled through to her friend. Renati looked on her scanner, but saw nothing. 'Increase sensitivity', she commanded the ship.  
There they were: two small ships of unknown silhouette.  
'Bring up visual'

'What in the name of the earth of Minbar are those?', Renati texted to Varas.  
"No idea, but they've seen us", the Anla'Shok's voice sounded through the speaker.  
"Are they hostile?", Renati asked.  
"Well either they want to talk to us real badly or they're approaching fast to have us within firing range", Varas commented sarcastically.

Without words, Varas and Renati simultaneously spun their ships around and sped off in the opposite direction. When reaching the desired distance, they split up and returned to attack the ships that were following them. Both ships' computers would log the entire fight, as they logged everything.

Renati narrowed her eyes and focused on the enemy in front of her. One eye tracked the scanner stats through an extra mini screen, while the other was focused on visual. One of the advantages of being Minbari was that their general nerve system was twice as developed as that of a normal Human; hence they saw twice as far and more detailed. The disadvantage of course is the intense emotions they have, but being well-disciplined, most manage.

"Vim're!(4)", Renati grinned and swirled around her axis as she approached the enemy. A move she wasn't fond of, but was necessary when approaching an unknown enemy. Even in visual she didn't recognise the ship's shape or markings. What were these creatures?

Suddenly she was startled as a burst hit the side of her ship. "Rath!(5)", she yelped and spun around firing at whatever had hit her.

The second ship? Ce'fa Bar(6)?  
Renati dodged its second attack – barely – but made sure she hit it with hers. Her shot damaged the wing of the fighter, but did not leave him defenceless. He too had attempted to dodge, but too slow.

_Where is she?_, Renati wondered, hoping there weren't more of those. What if Varas was being chased down by two others herself?  
She had to get out of here, this was too sticky.

Renati saw the two fighters circling around her, leaving no room for escape.  
"Guess I'll have to find out how badly they want me", she figured.  
She powered up her weapon to medium force, allowing her enough concentrated power without ending up defenceless.  
With a thrust of her feet against the forward engines, she sped off to the one gap in their pattern she could determine. Renati was not good at flying, but she sure was in algorithmic.

The ships noticed what she was up to and closed the gap, as she had expected for them to do. Renati moved the fingers of her right hand to the crucial crystal and fired two successive bursts at either of the ships, while changing direction by tilting her body.

It was no secret that the intuitive controls of the Nial fighters were the reason for so many impossible moves from certain fighters. The pilot of a Nial fighter lies down on his abdomen, facing forward out the window. In front of the window there are several view screens which can be called or recalled at any time, but the real genius is in the base controls.  
Acceleration is done by pressing the feet of their elongated legs down on some pressure plates that control the forward thrusters, while movement is controlled by slightly tilting the body. The ship's built in motion sensors pick up the variations of speed and direction to determine the movement.  
Weapons are manned by a set of crystals within range of their fingertips. Left for the left guns, right for the right.

The Worker Caste Sara, who designed it, a ship craftswoman, was befriended with a Religious Caste Master Philosopher named Fakil. During one of their gatherings, Fakil had complained to Sara about how hard it was to train the Warriors to use the small Tishat fighters(7). The controls were overly complicated, which caused for a high learning curve. It were his friends' complaints that gave Sara the idea for the Nial concept.

Now, many thousand years later, the Nial fighter design is virtually unchanged from the original concept, aside from the obvious technological upgrades.  
In practice it is designed to comfortably fit one, but it can be used to support two life forms for a short period of time. Manoeuvrability decreases, but it is possible.

It was the geniality in design that saved Renati that day. While opening fire on both ships, a quick pelvic twirl tilted hers to its side and allowed her to slip through the narrow passage between the enemy fighters.  
The enemy ships were not suicidal; they broke formation before colliding with the back of the Nial fighter. The already damaged ship malfunctioned during the manoeuvre and hit the side of the other one hard, exploding a little further on.

One down, one to go.

But the other fighter was vicious. Even though Renati had a head start, he tailed her in a matter of seconds. She swept left and right, curved up and broke the curve halfway to fall further down in order to avoid his continuous bursts.  
The situation was not looking good for Renati. The enemy was too agile, too close. She didn't know how much longer she could stay ahead of him. And where was – Varas!

A Nial fighter approached Renati from the front. She sighed in relief, but then her heart stopped when she saw an EMP charge being fired in her direction.

What in the– ZWONG…..

The burst covered an area just larger than the two ships, rendering them both immobile.

What in Valen's name was she up to?

As Renati's fighter slowly spun around in space, she caught a glimpse of her assaulter. Clad in dark red armour, there was a creature she had never seen before, but registered deep in her mind. She could only see three quarters of his face, but when his ship spun further in her direction, she was suddenly jerked up at high velocity and dragged away.

"Varas! What did you think you were doing?!", Renati let out, more angry about the fact she didn't get to study his face longer than her friend's risky assault.  
"It worked, did it not", she replied bluntly.  
"Yes, but-", Renati protested.  
"No but or I'll drop you!", Varas teased. She had grappled her tractor beam together with an extra hook onto Renati's fighter and was toeing her to safety.  
"I contacted the Tredano. She will meet us a little further up", Varas explained.  
"What about the survivor?", Renati worried.  
"We'll worry about that later. We have to make sure we live to tell the tale. Did you get a good look at him?", she wondered.  
"Good enough", Renati replied, grateful for her life.

* * *

"Enter", the old, hoarse voice allowed the Warrior passage.  
"Akel Zen, what brings you to my quarters? Another one of your students' mishaps?", the old man talked down on her.  
She bowed before looking at him. "One could say that, Anla'Shok Na", she replied submissively.  
A loud, enjoyable laugh cut the tension. The laugh was honest and sincere, coming from deep within the heart.  
"Akel, dear Akel. What would those two do without you?", he smiled.  
"They are good Anla'Shok Anla'Shok Na, they just lack the finishing touch…", she defended them.  
"Now now Akel, don't be so defensive. You know I have my heart set on those two, otherwise I would have grounded them a long time ago", he said and walked over to her, facing her closely. He brought his eyes near hers, locking her gaze.

"There is great promise in those two, even though they cause great worry. They have proven to be more resourceful, creative, understanding and efficient than any other team we have had in Rilz'Valzha(8). I will treat them with the grace I give every Anla'Shok and will leave the difficulty of punishment to their master"  
Akel looked down for a minute, but pulled her eyes back up to face him.

Anla'Shok Na, Lennon of the Family of Mir, was a medium-sized aged Religious Caste. He had lead the Anla'Shok for as long as Akel could remember. He was a role model as well as mentor for all, for he had the exceptional gift of allowing his gentle spirit to guide.  
He was just yes, he could be crude as well, but always merciful.  
Lennon the merciful.

"I have assigned them to border patrol – Minbari border patrol – in order to give them time to ponder on their actions", she explained. Lennon grinned, as if he already knew the answer to the question he was about to ask.  
"And?"  
"As expected, it backfired", the proud Warrior admitted. Unlike some more fanatic Vonilbok Akel had no trouble admitting she was wrong, the problem with Akel was usually to get her to realise she's wrong. Lucky for her, she's usually right.  
Lennon's grin evolved into chuckle as he walked over to the acolyte who had just entered the room with tea.  
"You will share their newest endeavours with me over some Ris(9), will you not?", he offered.  
"Of course", Akel smiled and accepted the deliciously prepared tea.  
Lennon, renowned Religious Caste as he was, was a Master in many things. But if Akel had to choose which was his top skill, she would pick his Master in hospitality.

"Once they swept through quadrant 7 to my satisfaction, they were required to return to base, however – by Renati's suggestion – took a small detour", Akel spoke, now comfortably in the large headless sofa.  
"Of course, and Varas followed I presume?", he smiled while sipping.  
"Unfortunately she always does. As is customary for the duo, they stumbled upon something very interesting", she said and placed a data crystal in the centre of the nearby table. A beam of light projected the silhouette of the space station in production Varas and Renati had discovered.

Lennon sat up and studied it closely.  
"It's Human. Where is this?", he asked, less interested in his beverage now.  
"At the very border of our space with theirs. We have not yet established what it is, but it's too large for a space platform. The location is another mystery", she said and pointed it out on the map, "It is of no strategic value whatsoever, not even trade routes pass by there.  
We presume they are building whatever it is there to remain undisturbed"  
"By whom?"  
"That, we weren't sure of until Renati and Varas told me the rest of their endeavour", she said and displayed the fight the Nial fighters had recorded. Lennon watched with great concentration, trying to grasp the situation.  
His heart grew weary because the silhouette of the fighters reminded him of a similar silhouette he had seen in one of the prophetic scriptures.  
"This is not possible", he gasped, having abandoned his tea entirely.  
"You recognise the silhouette?", Akel reacted in surprise.  
"Vaguely, but there is no guarantee it is the same. Actually, I hope it is not or we are further behind than expected", he panicked without losing his calm.

Lennon got up and walked over to the console next to the wall. He touched some crystals for activation and scrolled through different projections for a long while. Akel followed through the ancient Minbari scrolls with him, before noticing the similarity on one page.  
"There", he said and turned towards Akel's projection.  
"The resemblance does seem to be more than a coincidence", Akel confirmed, "What do the scrolls say?"  
"They speak of the ships being the omen for the Ancient Enemy's return", he spoke darkly. Uncomfortable silence filled the room. Akel only realised how important this information was, again she brought Lennon news he didn't want to hear. She was making a habit out of it.  
"This means we _are_ further behind than expected", he spoke in disappointment.

"You are", an angelic but heavy voice sounded out of nowhere.  
Akel and Lennon faced the voice and saw the impressive encounter suit of a blue Vorlon. Lennon had seen him several times before – in the past and present – but for Akel this kind of encounter was new. She didn't know whether to speak or be silent, to bow or remain standing. But the Vorlon showed no clear preference.  
"How can we reverse it?", Lennon continued the conversation as if the Vorlon had been there all along, which he probably had.  
"Creation", the Vorlon replied.  
"Of what?"  
"A different ship", he explained shortly, as Vorlons always did.  
"The Minbari fleet already has exquisite ships. Our fighters were able to take on theirs", Akel defended her species, unsure of whether that was wise.  
"Not enough", the Vorlon replied and projected a rough design of a new ship.

It was different from current Minbari designs, yet carried a certain familiarity. It was cruiser sized, but its shape indicated a much higher manoeuvrability. The curves carried a beautifully sparkling white, which changed to a more purple shine in starlight. A small demonstration of the ships capabilities stunned both Minbari.  
"But how will we make it? The Worker Caste will protest against making a design that is not their own, not to mention the Warrior Caste's protest against the construction of a ship outside of their fleet", Lennon considered the social difficulties surrounding the creation of a weapon like this.  
"No one other than the Anla'Shok should know", the voice with no lips replied.  
"Then who will build it?", Anla'Shok Na wondered.  
"The three chosen will choose the others"  
"Where can we find the chosen ones?", Lennon asked the Ancient respectfully.  
"One is beside you, the other two behind. They will choose, the others will follow", he explained.  
"Will you assist?", Akel wanted to know.

"Yes"

**Footnotes**

(1) - Zha'den Na _(Adrenato)_: War Leader

(2) - Star Riders: One of the 5 Warrior clans of the Minbari people. They are flamboyant and outgoing and, as their name suggests, have high aspirations. They are generally not as good flyers are the Ahael'den, but make up for that with their ability to lead. The last couple of hundred years however, their name has lost resonance, especially due to the continuous increase in arrogance in their brood.

(3) - Torrbari _(Adrenato)_: Humans

(4) - Vim're _(Vik)_: Gotcha!

(5) - Rath! _(Vik)_: Dammit!

(6) - Ce'Fa bar? _(Adrenato)_: What in the world?

(7) - The Tishat is a small fighter class ship that has been around longest in Minbari history. It used to be the standard flyer class ship for the Minbari until the Nial fighter was invented. The Tishat flyers are efficient, but clearly inferior to the newly developed Nial figher. With only speed and maneuverability as advantages over its successor, most Tishat are going out of service, their part cannibalized to repair and refit damaged Nials.

(8) - Rilz'Valzha _(Adrenato)_: Minbari equivalent of decennia. As they count with base eleven, not ten, they use eleven for referencing large periods of time as we do ten.

(9) - Ris _(Adrenato)_:Tea


	3. Chapter 3: Building the Enan'Fi

**Building the Enan'Fi**

Three months had passed since the Vorlon encounter. Three months since the solace into secrecy, the retreat from the normal world. Akel herself, Renati, Varas and a handpicked crew of Worker Caste origin had spent the last three months of their lives serving the Vorlon.  
Bosh, as he was known to the Minbari, had guided them through the process of creation for the Enan'Fi(1) the way only a Vorlon would. Giving one cryptic assignment after the next, by means of word or song, he pushed the Workers so far over their limits they only now realise how ignorant they once were.  
By dropping them hints here and there, he guided the controlled patch on Minbari in his grasp to evolve before his very self. They did grow smarter and more creative, but needed a little too much guidance to his liking.

The thinking was the work of the Workers, the managing for Akel, and the rest, the rest was for Renati and Varas. The duo spent the better of their days flying around the galaxy in an attempt to find the resources needed for the ship, but did it with unseen passion.

Especially Renati.  
For unknown reasons, this was a project she had thrown herself on. Even the things both Akel and Varas thought they would never get their hands on, Renati managed to talk her way into acquiring it. It was not that Renati did a poor job on missions before this; on the contrary she was a very fine Anla'Shok. But this mission was different, it was as if something had unlocked inside of her.

Little did the Minbari know it had.

Akel leaned back in her comfortable couch with her data pad on her lap. The larger projection generated a better readable report. Yes data pads were an efficient and indispensable accessory of the Anla'Shok, but reading long texts – especially Anla'Shok reports – on them was painstakingly difficult.

Akel was one of many who made ample use of the projection function. It didn't only enlarge text, but allowed easier manipulation of the various documents.  
Information technology, IT, was of course highly advanced amongst Minbari, and it was no surprise that the Anla'Shok were the pioneers of taking the technology to its next level. Their endless need of different – more efficient or secret – ways of transporting information across the galaxy inspired them to favour taking this technology forward to any other.

'Obtaining the Lithonium proved to be more difficult than the originally perceived as challenging Narak dust.  
The Gaim Queen proved incredibly helpful after the donation of a blueprint for a drill that can crush through solidified lava without being burned from the heat. She informed us of the location and method of obtaining the Narak dust.  
Unfortunately, our quest required a detour to the colony of Krii, founded on a small moon near Mitoc. Colony is a big word, there are not structures on the planet, but my guess is the Gaim just want it to be left alone.

For this Narak dust we needed to scare the Narak creatures, which resemble Sharet'Nishai(2) in many ways. These creatures are unfortunately not easily scared, except by other creatures that move around quickly with an irregular pattern.'

Akel scrolled through the first part of Varas' report, sipped her tea and then continued.

'Further research by Renati indicated there was such a creature on the colony of Krii, hence our trip to the planet.  
The planet housed a very interesting fauna and flora, amongst which regenerative grass. We have brought back a sample patch of it and will present it to the Workers to see if it gives them any clues to the regenerative capacities the Vorlon was referring to the other day.

Capturing the Whams – the creatures that frighten the Narak – was not effortless due to their incredible agility. Renati got impatient – as always – and decided to solve it _the Warrior way_ ending with a shot of her stun gun and my right leg numb for the rest of the day.

In any case, we managed to capture the critters and get the Narak dust.

The Litonium on the other hand took long and painful negotiations with Narns while the Brakiri were at our throats. Diplomatic as always, we naturally talked our way out of trouble and obtained the Lithonium from the Narns.

Please inform the council the Narns require 6 more months of regular medicine supplies and 3 months of information on Centauri activity'

Akel threw her eyes backwards and sighed deeply. "Those two will be the end of my career one day", she complained as she tried to figure out the best way to inform Lennon about her students' promise to the Narn regime. Perhaps her request would get buried under the recently abundant unusual inquiries and he simply wouldn't notice?

_Won't count on it_, the Warrior thought to herself. She traded the comfort of her sofa for the chill of the floor and walked over to the communication panel on the wall. Fit for long distance calls, the panel was standard in any Minbari quarters aboard a ship.

She entered the coordinates for a connection to Lennon's computer and hoped for a swift conversation.  
"Entil'Zha", she bowed when he appeared on projection.  
"Akel, on time as always. Please report", he replied impersonally.  
"We are proceeding on schedule. I am transferring you the latest reports now, please stand by to receive", she explained.  
"Excellent. Anything you wish to emphasize?", he wondered.  
"We are getting close to a possible organic regenerative prototype of the ship. Renati and Varas have obtained all necessary materials, which are being processed by the Workers as we speak, under the guidance of Bosh of course", she summarised.  
"Ah good. So cooperation with the Vorlon is proceeding smoothly?", he asked.  
"As smoothly as can be expected, yes", she answered in truth. "He is rather... _cryptic_ at times"  
"He is a Vorlon"  
"Yes, of course Entil'Zha. But it's not always easy to work like that. We would advance much quicker if he would give us straight answers instead of riddles", she complained.  
"It is their way Akel. We have to be greatful for their help and endure their habits"

His statement was not open to discussion. Though Akel was not fond of it, she knew the current situation was for the better. They could never complete a ship this complex without the Vorlon's help. They needed him more than ever now for the finalisation of the ship. She hoped he would not leave unexpected, as he had disappeared from the ship several times before.

"What are your instructions in case we finish the ship early, Entil'Zha?", she asked.  
"Have it thoroughly tested by your apprentice and her friend. If it is fit for mass production, continue with the proceedings as planned. If not, alter until perfect", he instructed.  
"Understood", she confirmed and thought if there was anything else she needed to ask.

"Do you have any more information on the ships that have attacked Renati and Varas?", she queried.  
"Nothing that I deliver to you in detail as of now, but whenever I obtain the necessary information I will relay it to you. As for now, simply ignore the threat. You are safe at the border of Vorlon space. Any enemy would have to travel far into Minbari space to find you. I doubt our Warrior Caste will simply let them pass", he reassured her.  
"I will concentrate on the mission then", she replied affirmatively to a question never asked. "I have added the personal requests of the crew to the files I sent you earlier"  
"Thank you Akel. I will see what I can do for them. Until your next report. May Valen be with you"  
"May Valen by with you"

**Footnotes**

(1) - White Star _(Adrenato)_

(2) - Minbari equivalent of a cow _(Adrenato)_. They are similar in size and manners, but different in colour pattern. Dark green (khaki), silver and brown cows are most common, depending on the continent.


	4. Chapter 4: Assaulted

**Assaulted**

"The Workers have also incorporated their plans for the organic regenerative capacity. After your last suggestions, they have had a major break-through and believe it to be ready for implementation", Renati spoke with a neutral, yet slightly submissive voice.  
"Good", the hollow Vorlon voice replied.  
"If they continue like this, we will have the test flight earlier than expected", she said excited.  
"Not early, on time", Bosh replied, staying true to his cryptic nature.

Renati did not reply. She was not expected to. The Vorlon loved making his _subordinates_ feel this way. Not submissive, but curious. Wondering about the page behind the mystery. It's a healthy attitude the Vorlon believed, inspiring innovation and thus evolution.

With nothing left to report and nothing more coming her way, Renati took her leave after respectfully bowing to her master.  
She turned around and waited for a moment for the door to open, but was shaken by a shiver crawling down her bone. It was as if someone had just walked through her. Startled she looked behind, but the Vorlon remained unchanged.  
_I look too much into things_, Renati cursed herself for what was probably simply being cold.

* * *

"Don't worry, we're not going that far", Renati tried comforting her mentor who stood puzzled in her command position on the bridge.  
"I'm not worried, I just don't like leaving them behind – unprotected", Akel added.  
"We don't have much choice unless you are confident the Warrior Caste's reaction will be a pleasant one", Varas' sarcasm did not come as the intended comic relief.  
Akel looked over her shoulder at her student with grim eyes.  
"Well it's either reveal the ship or starve", Varas admitted dryly.

Akel failed to smile. The problem was: Varas had a point. Every 3 months they ran out of supplies and needed to connect with a nearby Morshin carrier(1).  
They took care handling the rations, but when researching more resources get used than during standard activities.  
On top of that, the Anla'Shok – unlike the rest of Minbari society – did not act as if they had all the time in the world. For they didn't, they knew the enemy was moving – fast.

Renati's attention was drawn outside as she saw the transport shuttle depart from the Sus'Sinar towards the Tredano.  
"I'll go and receive the Alyt'el(2)", she replied absent minded and left the bridge. Varas rolled her eyes at Akel who remained annoyed.

"Alyt'el Aalann, Sus'Fie(3)", Renati spoke professionally.  
"Alyt", he replied slightly confused. He did not know this young female, furthermore he didn't expect her to be of any rank. She carried the mark of the Anla'Shok as well as the crest of – well he was undecided on her Caste based on her bone crest.

The ridges were spikier than your standard Religious Caste crest, but not outspoken enough to be Warrior Caste. They also lacked the finesse a Worker would give them.  
Surely, she could not be Casteless, she would not hold rank!  
"Renati ra 'Tha Fane ra Chu'Domo", she swayed away his obvious confusion. She was used to this kind of treatment from Warriors, though this one left out the loathing look. Perhaps he instinctively respected her rank.

Not all Warriors were hostile towards other Castes. Renati was one to shun stereotyping others, but unfortunately many of them did live up to their own clichés. The clashes between the Warrior and Religious Caste had resurfaced more fiercely ever since the loss of Dukhat, their Great Leader.  
In his day, he had found a way to mediate between the Castes and reduce the damage the Worker Caste usually received from being traditionally stuck in the middle.

But his absence was one well felt throughout Minbari society.

His apprentice, Delenn of Mir, was promising but too young and inexperienced to take over Dukhat's burden. If more time and training would have been granted to, - now Satai – Delenn, she would have been a worthy successor.  
Unfortunately for the brave-hearted female, her age undermined her credibility – especially the Warrior Caste's.  
Hence, the feud between Warrior and Religious Caste relives.

"I bring you the gratitude of the Shai Alyt", Renati continued. "May we offer you anything in return?"  
"No, Alyt", he thanked her politely, but not friendly. His eyes were on his men exchanging the crates of supplies with the crew of fhe Tredano. Renati appeared obsolete.

When the last crate had been moved off the transport, the Alyt'el turned to Renati and bowed.  
"Nie tek'ra"(4)

"Well he was the light of the party", Renati commented grimly to Varas who joined her in the cargo bay after the crew of the Sus'Sinar had departed. Her friend smiled.  
"What did you expect? A Religious Caste with a rank higher than his own, who he has never heard of? He'll be doing some research tonight to see whose toes he just stepped on", Varas mocked the structure of their society.  
Renati was slightly amused at the thought but then shook it off.  
She shouldn't.

"Dum'Falet?"(5),Varas asked her friend with a perky voice.  
"Visu!"(6)

As the two Anla'Shok walked through the hallway, speculating about what the Aalet(7) had cooked up, they were thrown against the wall by a hard burst hitting the ship. Before their senses could grasp the situation, the alarm sounded through the crystals.

"All pilots man your fighters! Varas, frontal assault team, Leya, backwards support!", the Shai Alyt's commands quickly dispersed everyone into battle.  
The two Anla'Shok hurried to the docking bay, meeting up with the other 7 pilots. Normally Akel's ship carried at least 24 Nial fighters and as many pilots, but ever since the construction of the Enan'Fi started, the Tredano has been strategically understaffed. Almost everyone aboard carried an Anla'Shok badge.  
Lucky for her, they knew how to fly.

9 Nial fighters shot out of the docking bay into the cold vastness of space, facing their yet unidentified enemy.  
"2 by 4 by 11", Akel commanded the ships. "Varas, take your squadron up first. Leya provide sufficient backup. She's going to need it", Akel's voice hid her worry.  
Renati automatically broke off into Varas' squadron along with 4 others. Meanwhile, her ship's controls were scanning the enemy for identification.

"Drakh?", she exclaimed in surprise.  
"Yes", Varas confirmed. "Looks like they came well armed"  
Renati noticed the two heavy cruisers in front of the Sus'Sinar and the Tredano. Fighters from the Sus'Sinar were already engaging close combat with the approaching small Drakh ships.  
The Warrior's accuracy was rivalling to the Drakh's speed. They quickly adapted their shots in anticipation of the enemy's movement, as if they were calculating the offset of their shot on the spot. Amazing.

Nevertheless, the Drakh remained fast. Renati held her breath as she followed Varas into attack formation. "Instructions?", she asked her commander.  
"Kill them"

The 6 assault fighters joined the Sus'Sinar's and twirled about, confusing the enemy. With tactical finesse, Varas' squadron lured part of the Drakh fighters away from her Warrior allies. Moments later, they were flanked by Leya's squadron, blasting the majority into oblivion.

"Zahn!"(8), one of Leya's pilots exclaimed through the comm. link.  
"Be on your guard, there are more coming", Leya warned and positioned her squadron in front of Varas'. She smiled at her friends' move.  
"Alright, we'll go and see what's out there", she replied playfully.

It was remarkable how Minbari naturally remained calm in the face of danger. It takes a lot of additional stress to shake one out of his controlled state of mind, even a trained Religious Caste. The Drakh did not know this.

Varas' squadron made it past the line of fighters relatively easily. Some followed, some continued onwards, but those that followed were taken care of by the rear of the flyers. Not everything went smoothly: the last two fighters were already damaged, but still flying.

One of those two was Renati. Her Nial fighter had taken a hit on the wing and was increasingly difficult to control. Weight detection had been corrupted with an irregular pattern, making flying straight ahead a difficult task by itself. Renati held her breath as her fighter spun around its axis again, wailing at her discomfort.

"Renati, can you follow?", Varas' worried voice asked through the crystal speakers.  
"I'm not sure, I'm trying to fix it but technology has decided to be uncooperative today", she cursed.  
"You cannot return", another voice sounded through the speaker.  
"Then I will find a way to follow", she concluded.  
"Move on and attack, I'll manage"  
"You'll be a sitting duck!", Varas protested.  
"Go Varas!", Renati commanded her friend as she noticed 4 Drakh fighters headed in their direction.

She saw Varas taking the rest of the squadron for the assault, leaving her unprotected. Renati's sole concern right now was to control the ship and stay alive. Unfortunately the former was almost impossible due to the heavy damage on her wing.  
No matter what she tried, every command she gave was interpreted differently.

_With luck, it's just the gravity engine_ she thought.

"Ship, switch to voice command for navigation"  
"Voice command active", a clear voice replied.  
"Ship, navigate to 4 by 1 by 8, full throttle. Arm fusion cannons for subsequent bursts", she instructed.  
"Warning, tertiary fusion cannon not responding", the voice replied.  
"Rath!"  
The remaining weapons armed, but to Renati's dismay, she was jested off in an entirely different direction than she desired.  
"Ship! Navigate to 2 by 1 by 6!", she tried to correct, but again the ship randomly chose another path. Her eyes widened as she noticed the 3 Drakh fighters headed straight towards her. She had no means of navigation, just her guns.  
"Ship, emergency thrusters forward, now!", she commanded and shot forward. Just as she was about to pass the flyers, she unleashed a couple of subsequent shots, damaging one and destroying another.

The Anla'Shok grinned at her effective move. The other fighter was too disoriented to follow. He appeared to be spinning out of control, right into the arms of Leya's squadron.  
"Serves him right", she smirked, but then screeched.

"Renati!", Varas screamed through her comm. link as she saw her friend's fighter colliding with the large Drakh carrier.

Then the Darkness came

**Footnotes**

(1) Primary transport vessel for the Minbari Federation

(2) - Alyt'el _(Vik/Adrenato/Lenn'A)_: Lowest rank a Minbari officer can have when in command of a starship. The best are upgraded to Alyt'sa after a minimum of 5 years of combat service, but more likely 15 to 20 years.  
The Alyt'sa is the highest sub rank of the Alyt, but is rarely used with its suffix. Only Alyt'sa are placed in command of a Sharlin as they are all considered detatched members of the War Leader's greater fleet.  
The subrank below Alyt'el is Dur'Alyt, which is a temporary title. A Dur'Alyt is assigned when a member without officer rank takes command of the starship in battle.

(3) - Sus'Fie _(Adrenato)_: Literally 'With honour' Respectful greeting amongst Minbari.

(4) - Nie tek'ra _(Vik)_: Until we meet again

(5) - Dum'Falet _(Adrenato)_: Dinner

(6) - Visu _(Adrenato)_: Definitely

(7) - Aalet _(Adrenato)_: Literally: Food master, but simply means cook.

(8) - Zahn _(Adrenato and Vik)_: Victory!


	5. Chapter 5: Controlled

**Controlled**

Open. Close.  
Open..

Close.

Ope-close.

Closed.

OPEN!

Renati's eyes shot open as her lungs unexpectedly filled with air. Her vision was blurred, but blinking re-focused her eyesight. She winced when she saw the blood on her hands. She felt her face and found thick blood dripping from her temple. The cut ran from her Dun'Shai(1) to her right eye all the way up to the side of her head bone.

_Great, I'm alive_

She only just realised the blood was still wet – she couldn't have been out for long.  
Where was she?

In front of her was what looked like a dark red organic.. wall. At least, that's what she thought it was. The glass of her Nial fighter's front window had shattered into the cockpit, while the rest of the nail fighter appeared crumbled.  
Then she remembered. Just before impact with the Drakh cruiser, she had fired a loaded burst on the ship's hull, in an attempt to break through before crashing into it. Apparently her shot combined with the strength of the Minbari metal had saved her life.  
She suddenly realised the advantage she had.

_I'm inside the ship; I can take them out from within!_  
That was, if she could stay alive long enough to reach the bridge – wherever it may be.

Renati dusted the glass shards off her uniform and climbed out of her fighter. Aside from the cut on her head, she was relatively unharmed. Armguards and Denn'Bok ready, the Anla'Shok continued in the only direction she could: onwards.

The floor was made of the same substance as the walls: a soft, dark red organic moist material. She was both impressed and frightened by the technology.  
The Minbari had not yet managed to master control over organic technology, let alone construct whole ships of it. The Enan'Fi was the first ship to ever successfully contain traces of organic material.  
Renati had a feeling they hadn't seen everything these Drakh had to offer. She feared a more powerful enemy.

Silently she continued down the hall, shaking away her fears. They would do her no good now, only courage mattered.  
With her heart beating in her throat from tension, Renati wearily studied the environment. There were no wires, no plates, no consoles, nothing. Just the organic walls and her.  
There was no sign of audible or visible alarm, nor was there a sign of life.

What part of the ship had she crashed into?

Renati rolled her eyes back and involuntarily let out a sigh as she reached the end of the passage way. A dead end.

_Grand_, she thought, _Crash into the impenetrable part of the ship. _  
_Useless._

She tried scanning the surroundings with the small computer on her armguard, but no avail. The results were incomprehensible and probably false.  
If she didn't know what to think of this new environment, why would she expect for her computer to do better?

She placed her fingers on her Dun'Shai and winced. A frontal headache crept up when it shouldn't. Some timing.  
It was when she stroke her forehead in support that her squinted eyes noticed an irregularity at the bottom of the wall to her right. She removed her hand and inspected the wall more closely, without touching it.

As she focused harder, she noticed the wall appeared to be moving… and not. Something wasn't right. It was as if she could see though the wall, but then again not. Who was playing with her mind?

A mind! There was someone on the other side!

Renati froze as she sensed the cold alien mind on the other side of the 'wall'. She cursed herself for losing control and prayed her slip of the mind had gone undetected.  
More as form of habit, rather than self preservation.

The power of her mind was a secret she had carried with her ever since her first fight as an Anla'Shok. The first fight of an Anla'Shok is one of many tests one must take in order to become part of that society. One mustn't fail a single test.

The day of her first fight Renati had been more nervous than she had in her entire young lifespan. In 20 years had she not had such a fearsome moment.  
But that day, she had to pass. She had to win the fight in order to favour the Sechs for her selection, for she hadn't done well on the flying test. The fight would be her decisive moment.  
Renati could not stand the thought of disappointing – her then guardian – Akel.

She had been drawn against Dralak, a rather cocky young Warrior Caste, entirely confident of his victory.  
Renati was no match for the Warrior. She had had basic training with the Denn'Bok in crèche, but that was all theoretical. Dralak had been beating his opponents into a pulp since the age of 5.

Nevertheless her determination kept Renati going, even when she was at the point of exhaustion, she did not yield. When the decisive strike came and Dralak would finish her from above, she stopped him for a fraction of a second in mid-air, leaving her just enough time to strike first and win the fight.  
She had stopped him by shear force of will, nothing else.

It was then that Renati realised she was telepathic.  
Afraid to lose her status as Anla'Shok, she kept it hidden from everyone and rarely used it. Only when she absolutely needed to would she attempt to do very basic things.  
The drawback was of course that she had this amazing power she cannot control, which has a tendency to manifest at the worse times possible.

Renati suspected it's connected to a certain level of stress and tension, but is caught in a society where she is unable to reveal herself. Telepaths are rarely accepted in any other social structure than the Telepath order.  
She did not want to picture here life as one of them, trapped in a golden cage of reverence. Never being able to go anywhere, do anything. Always in service of the people – on Minbar.

No, Renati wanted to travel the universe, keep the Minbari people safe from harm in her own way. Being chained to the ground on Minbar was not the way she wanted to spend her life.  
Even though she had completed over 40 years of service for the Anla'Shok now, she was still afraid Lennon might send her away.

There were times when she had been lucky to escape the passing mind scan of another telepath after some decisive battles in the last war with the Earthers and other times she simply can't explain how she got by undetected.  
Then again, there were more things in her life Renati could not explain, perhaps she wouldn't like the explanation when she got it. Questions about her upbringing, her mother, her father, Akel,…

Suddenly Renati was shaken out of her trance by a board figure standing in front of her, clad in dark black armour with dark red eyes piercing through her. With a reflexive move, she jetted her hands upwards as she saw his gun targeting her.

The blades on her armguards pierced through his throat, but the eyes remained. Renati was overcome with fear for a moment, but then – from an unexpected source – found renewed courage. Her eyes narrowed and she pressed her hands further into his throat and with a hard slicing motion cut his head off his body.  
It toppled unnaturally on the floor without a sound.

Nothing made a sound.  
Not her clothes when she moved, not her blades when they cut through the air, not his head when it fell on the floor.  
What else was this race capable of?

They must be destroyed.

Renati armed the holdout laser her armguard carried and jumped into the _wrong_ wall. As she suspected, she fell right through it. It was a fake!

Another corridor revealed itself, with another soldier running towards her. Her presence had been revealed.  
In cold blood, she raised her hand and shot the soldier in the chest as she approached. When that wasn't enough to put him down, Renati ran onto the side of the slightly curved wall and leapt up. She landed with her knees on the soldier's shoulders, but sliced off his head just to be sure before he could counter act.  
She dropped to the floor on her feet without looking back at her victim and continued down the hall. Something was guiding her, something told her where to go. Renati didn't question, but followed.

Along the way there were more guards and more slaughter. She had dealt with enemies in cold blood before, but the transformation of personality would be striking for anyone watching her.  
But to Renati it was different as well. Everything had been different from the moment she had crashed into the ship. Her vision was sharper, her sense of smell more attuned, even her mind worked in a controllable manner.  
She located the enemy before she saw or heard him with her mind and stroke before they had a chance for defence. There was a mystical power driving her forth, a power that made her ecstatic, that made her feel mighty and long for more.

She advanced quickly through the ship until finally reaching the bridge. The officers on the bridge were startled. Chaos took over as one tried firing, the other tried to run and yet another called for assistance.

But Renati did not care. A faint blue glow in her eyes fueled her fire and her enemy's terror. They cowered away from the enraged Minbari headed towards them, in any direction possible. But she did not leave it at that. She chased down every one of them.

Every soldier lead to another and another and… another.

Renati continued on as long as her rage let her. Feelings of anger, passion and power overcame her with every life she took. The feeling of the Drakh's warm blood gushing down her fingers became soothing, she yearned for it.  
Renati had lost control of herself and had let whatever force that wanted to overcome her take her. She killed in the name of good, slayed until there was nothing left to slay.

Only then did she return to her normal state of mind, almost forgetting what she had done before.

Back on the bridge she did what she had come to do. She looked at the alien controls, searching for a way to command the ship. While all Renati did was look, the controls responded and suddenly lights were flashing all over.

_No, no no! Control!_

Before she could do anything about it, the ship's side thrusters sprung on and turned it to face its twin class. Without delay the cannons fired large pulses at the neighbouring ship.

As she saw the canon fire, Renati felt as if the fired energy was surging right through her. Her body burned from head to toe and felt exhausted.  
Beyond herself and comprehension, she dropped to the floor.

Fear returned, but Renati passed out.

**Footnotes**

(1) - Dun'Shai _Adrenato_: The Dun'Shai is the bone that makes up the eyebrows. With Minari, it is more expressively present and harder in structure.


	6. Chapter 6: The search for Za'Ha'Dum

**The search for Za'Ha'Dhum**

"Za'Ha'Dum", Akel spoke the words as a curse. "What does it mean?"  
"It means that it is to be left alone", Lennon replied.  
"Why?", Akel protested.  
"Understanding is not required Akel, only obedience", Anla'Shok Na commanded the middle-aged Anla'Shok.  
Akel detested it when he patronised her. She did not desire leave this alone without knowing why. A gut feeling told her this clue was the break-through they had been looking for. Perhaps it could shine a light on the Enemy's plans, maybe even their current advancement.

But Lennon would not have her pursue it.

"You will continue your mission construction the Enan'Fi class ships", he spoke when noticing her struggle.  
It was not a request.  
"I shall do so", she bowed respectfully.

Lennon looked puzzled at her submission. Usually there was more protest when Akel didn't get what she wanted. He feared the Anla'Shok had another ace up her sleeve. Whatever it was, there was nothing he could do to stop it. She would either find what she is looking for or... actually, he had never seen the situation where Akel didn't get what she wanted one way or the other. He did not know 'or'

"That is all"

* * *

"So? Did you get any leads?", Varas asked curiously.  
"No, Entil'Zha wants me to leave it alone", Akel replied as she walked next to her fellow Anla'Shok, strolling through the city of Tuzanor.  
"He wants you to leave it alone? Surely he is kidding you?", Varas laughed.  
"Unfortunately he was serious", Akel replied.

Varas' Dun'shai carried small folds at the ends as she tried to frown.  
"But the data recovered from the carrier ship clearly indicates a relation between these Drakh and the Ancient enemy? We have yet to decipher the whole of it, but the pattern is there.  
The only clue we have is this _Za'Ha'Dum_. If you're not allowed to persue it, we may fall even further behind", Varas thought out loud.  
"That is why you are going to pursue it", Akel spoke in a neutral tone.

Varas grinned at her mentor's cunning. "I see where Renati gets it from", she joked but was countered with an unappreciative gaze.  
"You will go to Rikkesh, a Drazi colony, and investigate some scriptures there Helenn linked to this Za'Ha'Dum. Renati will accompany you, that is if she can walk", Akel instructed.

Varas' lips curved grimly as she thought of her poor friend. After one of the Drakh ships had unexpectedly fired at the other, Akel had given the command to board it. It was there that the salvaged whatever information they could – and found Renati.

The process of deciphering the information was proceeding better than Renati's recovery. The hela'mers could not figure out what was wrong with her, aside from complete exhaustion. It appeared as if every cell in her body had burnt up all available energy.  
But why? No one could tell.

She had spent two weeks in supported coma until the hela'mers deemed her physically and mentally strong enough to regain consciousness.  
Her situation was that bad, that Akel had moved her plant to the infirmary. When she woke up, the first thing Renati heard from Akel was: "From now on, you will water it – if that's what it takes to keep you alive"

Akel had feared for a moment they would lose Renati. She had been so badly responsive to the treatment. Improvement seemed out of reach, even stabilisation was not a given.

She had stayed in her quarters on Tuzanor ever since the fight and would not depart until her apprentice had regained consciousness. The crew of the Enan'Fi could do with her commands from a distance for the time being. Akel felt Renati would need her own and Varas' support to get through this.  
As every Minbari, she recognised the importance of moral strength for the recovery of serious injuries.

It was one of the few moments in her life she had felt like a mother, even though she had cared for Renati for a very long time now. Akel had taken on the upbringing of Renati at the age of 5.  
Why? Because Nakiri wouldn't.

Nakiri.

Akel's bone tingled when she thought of her. The adventurous, but conservative Religious Caste that had swayed away her best friend, only to crush him later on.  
Nakiri had not spoken to Renati's father since her expectancy of the child. She had broken off all contact and along with it, his heart. He had always believed in a future for the two of them, but obviously Nakiri had decided otherwise.

Nakiri spent a lot of effort in _protecting_ her daughter from her father's influence, bad influence in her eyes.

Nakiri wanted a Religious upbringing for her child.  
"She should have thought of that before she gave herself to you Aeraan", Akel had told her friend. It was beyond her how you could love one so intensely one day and cast him aside the next, based solely on difference of Caste.

Aeraan was Warrior, proud Vonilbok, but Nakiri had known this all along. It was the reason why they had been so secretive about their relationship, it was not allowed.

Actually, it wasn't forbidden, but heavily discouraged. When a member of one Caste marries outside of his or her Caste, he's effectively saying there is no one good enough for him in his own Caste.  
Aeraan had always respected Nakiri's decision to keep their relationship a secret, but had hoped for a joining after they had crossed a line they shouldn't have.

Instead of gaining a wife and daughter, he ended up with nothing.  
Aeraan did deserve the treatment Nakiri gave him, but political struggle discouraged him from perusing the case further.

Up to her five years of age, Aeraan had managed to arrange for Renati to be on the star ship he was on, or visit Yedor where she went to crèche whenever he was off duty, just to be able to spend some time with his daughter.

Until the day came when he was reprimanded by Hat Sineval himself, Clan leader of the Vonilbok, who had found out about the Warrior's _misstep_.  
"You will seal your lips or be cast out", had been the austere Minbari's judgement.  
In an attempt to comfort her devastated friend's grief, Akel offered to be the caretaker of Renati. The offer was accepted by Nakiri, however not unexpected.

It was no secret that Renati and her mother did not get along, not even at that age. Nakiri saw the child as a reminder of all the mistakes she had made in life, casting the blame on the young girl.  
A mother loathing her own child was unacceptable in Minbari society, so to shield herself from shame she agreed to Akel being the guardian for Renati.  
In a further attempt for redemption, she joined the Sisters of Valeria and started a new life. Akel heard she had married eventually and had another child, a son, but Renati did not know of this. There was no need to concern the child with the matter.

"The child", she spoke involuntarily. She was 63 now, well beyond the age of a youngster.  
"Sorry?", Varas asked her mentor confused.  
"Huh? Oh, I mean how is Renati?", she corrected herself.  
"She can walk", Varas smiled, "With a cane"  
Akel winced and spoke in a slightly amused voice: "Oh I bet she loves that"  
Varas laughed languidly picturing her friend's complaints.  
"She'll be fit to go once she hears the mission", Varas vouched for Renati.  
"I expect no less"  
"If there is nothing else, I would like to excuse myself Akel. My grandmother is expecting me", Varas stated.  
"Give her my compliments"

* * *

Varas' grandmother greeted her grandchild with an extensive bow, as she always did.  
"Varas, it has been too long again", she complained – as she always does. "There is so much I need for you to do, child, but you have been gone for so long, half the tasks have either overgrown or perished!"

Varas smiled at her grandmother's obtrusiveness. The old woman suffered from crest blindness on one eye, but did not let that get in the way of continuing the pleasures of life.  
However it came to chores, she would turn a hand and leave them for Varas.  
She did not mind though. Her grandmother had served the Minbari people well as Anla'Shok researcher. She was allowed to be _picky_ for the final decades of her life.

"I'm sorry grandmother, but the universe needed saving", she joked.  
"I hear your friend needs saving?", she asked and gestured for her to sit in the comfortable sofa.  
"Yes, she was injured badly unfortunately, but thanks to hela'mer Inseval's efforts she will recover", Varas eased her grandmother's mind.  
Midiri knew her grandchild was not the most social amongst Minbari and neither was Renati. It had always warmed her heart to see the two getting into the thickest situations together. At least they had each other.

Varas' bond with Renati reminded her of her own bond she had with her husband before they were a couple. He too was Anla'Shok and they were often paired up together. It was how they had gotten to know one another.

"How long will you be staying in Tuzanor?", she wondered.  
"Not long now, I have just received instructions for the next mission. I'll go see if Renati is well enough to leave. If she is, we'll be off again", Varas explained.  
"Oh, that's too bad. Your chores will have to wait again. You will come and stay longer next time, won't you?", she pushed.  
"Vis, Av'sala"(1), Varas smiled.

"So where are you going next, child?", the old woman wondered.  
"Rikkesh", Varas said silently.  
The old woman put down her cup of tea and closed her eyes. Her steady breathing filled the room, eliminating everything else. Varas held her breath until a response came.  
"Will you go and look for it?", the woman asked.  
"Yes Av'sala, that is why I insisted on coming before I left", sadness was in her voice.

The aged female stared at the dark tea cup on the table. The cup was made of a special type of glass the Minbari harvested from one of their colony worlds, XXXXXX. The glass is created by the lava of the mountains in a chain on the Northern hemisphere of the planet.  
The mountains are surrounded by beaches and water. When the lava meets with the sand, it is transformed into a solid black glass substance, mouldable into any desired shape and very durable. It does not break easily, but is not flawless neither.  
The main reason Minbari use it for tea cups is because it maintains the temperature of whatever substance is poured inside easily.

It was the darkness of the cup that entranced Midiri. The darkness that reminded her of sorrow, loss and emptiness. Darkness was equal to nothingness. Darkness was equal to evil.

She stood up, neither dissatisfied nor excited, and walked into the next room. She returned with an old Denn'Bok in her hands.  
"Will you use mine when you finish him?", her still clear voice asked.  
Varas took the Denn'Bok into her hands and closed her eyes in respect.  
"I will"  
"Bring it back so I can finally part with him", she requested.  
"I will grandmother"

**Footnotes**

(1) - Vis, Av'sala _(Adrenato)_: Yes, Grandmother


	7. Chapter 7: The sweet taste of Revenge

**The sweet taste of revenge**

Bosh looked down at the sleeping Minbari. Satisfaction filled his heart, his experiment had worked. She had passed the test.  
Without further dialogue or emotion, he left the room – preparing for the next stage.

* * *

"Are you ready?", a perky voice woke Renati out of a deep slumber.  
"Huh?"  
Squinty eyes greeted Varas. Renati turned away and covered her mouth, trying to hide a yawn.  
"Akel gave us our next mission. We're set for Rikkesh. The records Helenn has deciphered match some Drazi scriptures we know exist there. Let's hope we find what we're looking for", Varas explained.  
"Rikkesh? Isn't that where your grandfather-"  
"Indeed...", Varas paused. "I will seek him out and fight him"  
"I feared you might", Renati replied.  
"I have to do this Renati. He took his life, I need to settle the score", Varas insisted.  
"But he is Maradas, they are even shunned by the Warriors"

Varas knew of the risk she was taking. The Maradas were a tough species who lived on the Drazi colony world Rikkesh.  
Their bodies are heavy in bulk and muscle, but the difficulty was hitting them. Due to a protein surplus in their nutrients, the Maradas suffer from excessive bone growth.  
Because of their combatant nature, evolution has come up with a very effective solution: excessive spikes of bone sprout out of nearly every joint, making them more difficult to dislodge.  
The Maradas tend to keep their bones long and sharp, effective for both defensive and offensive purposes. Being a creature inherent to foul tactics, they come in handy.

Several years ago, Varas' grandfather had gotten into a fight with one of them and was put into the local ever-running tournament, the Slikoh, to settle it. This Slikoh was to the death, the Maradas won.  
As if the suffering of loss of a loved one isn't enough, the Maradas take pride in taking trophies from each of their _opponents_.  
Bharak had taken Firell's Denn'Bok.

It was her grandmother's request to get back the Denn'Bok of her fallen husband. Only then could she stop mourning.  
The risk of loss was present for Varas as well, a thought she tried to shake from her mind.

"I will fight him no matter what", Varas looked her friend in the eyes with great determination.  
"Then we go"

* * *

Rikkesh: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

This faintly familiar sentence scurried through Renati's mind as the two hooded Minbari set foot in the capital city's spaceport. Anything and everything remotely related to fighting, legal or illegal according to intergalactic standards, could be found in this city.

From bets on local or exotic animal fights, to personal combat for credits and of course the Slikoh.

While strolling through the streets, they saw Earth lions fighting Narn lizards, a Drazi getting his teeth knocked out by a desperate Narn and a Human taking on some large insectoid creature they had never seen before.  
Most of the fights were held in poorly-kept stalls, nothing impressive, most dirty even, aside from the Slikoh. The arena next to the giant spaceport was a dead giveaway for the natives' favourite sport.

The guard at the entrance barked something at the two Minbari Renati didn't understand. Varas had studied their language, but her reply appeared so unnatural to Renati. The Maradas' language carried hash low voices with vowels in combinations the Minbari do not have. It resembled Drazi in a way, she thought.  
In any case, it was not a tongue that suited the elegant Varas. Too rough.  
In a way, it was amusing to hear her speak it.

After a short conversation with the guard, Varas and Renati were let through. They followed the corridor into the main area and were rather surprised by what they found. The arena was gigantic not because of the amount of people watching the fight, but because there were dozens of small arenas scattered about, allowing many different fights to go on simultaneously.  
The fields reached from plain sand pits to complex structures above boiling pits of oil. Not only Maradas, but other races could pick their fight in one of the arenas as well, albeit by Slikoh rules.

There were apparently several _levels_ of Slikoh: one to first blood, one to K.O. and another to the death. These were the three most practiced, however other rules could apply if both parties agree.  
Another rule of the Slikoh is that neither of the combatants may leave the field. If one of them steps – or is thrown – out of it, the other party wins by default.

Honour has no place in these fights, Varas noticed. Only victory mattered.

Out of nowhere a voice called out: "Anla'Shok! It has been a long time since I have humiliated one of you. I feel like I should prove to my supporters I've still got it!"

"Yeah give it to them!"  
"Show them what you've got Bharak!"  
"Bharak the great!"

The voices of the crowd loudly supported the grand Warrior. He was large in stature, at least twice Renati's size in height and breadth. His bones reached long and far across his joints, but were heavily chipped and clawed.  
His eyes spoke of many battles, many lives.

Varas stepped forward and accepted the challenge. The Maradas looked down at the small female, trying to figure out what race she was.  
"You shall have a fight as never before", she guaranteed him.  
"That I shall", his thundering voice roared through the arena.  
"What does the Anla'Shok want to fight for?", he asked. In his hand, he held a projector showing his collections. It was well-filled indeed. From prize medals to weapons to personal objects. Everything he had ever won in a Slikoh was on it.  
Amongst the weapons Varas noticed many human helmets, Narn guns, Centauri Rapiers, and then... her grandfather's Denn'Bok.  
"I will fight you for the Denn'Bok", she stated. The beast snarled something in his ative language and then turned to Varas.  
"And I will take your pin in return. We fight to KO!", he barked.

Before the fight started Varas explained to Renati that she knew she couldn't win, but she wanted to give Renati a chance of seeing his moves and studying them.  
"What makes you think I can take him on?", Renati asked her friend.  
"Your temperament"  
Renati rolled her eyes and replied: "Seriously Varas, he's Maradas. Are you out of your mind?"  
Varas looked her friend in the eyes, looking for the spark she carried. Renati looked insecure, not frightened, but worried. Varas could see she was calculating the odds against them.  
But it did not matter, this was not something she could run away from. There are things in everyone's lives they must do that they do not enjoy. This was one of Varas'.

"Will you defend my honour?"  
Renati looked back at Varas and replied in friendship without delay: "Against anyone"

The small Religious Caste buried herself her cape and joined the Beast in the ring. They would fight in one of the sandpits, filled wih scattered pieces of hard rock. Some larger than the Maradas himself, others well enough to throw.

Renati watched from the sideline how the two uncommon opponents clashed arms. She was afraid for her friend, for she knew fighting was not Varas' main skill. Technology, flying and stealth. That was Varas' holy threesome, fighting was not one of them.

The difference of skill was clearly visible, even amongst the crowd. It was not the lack of finesse, for Varas executed her moves perfectly, but the absence of sufficient power in her blows that kept Varas from dealing any real damage.

Nevertheless, the Minbari continued. Determination filled every blow, but there simply wasn't enough strength.  
In the end it was an easy victory for the beast, as Varas wore herself out into exhaustion. With her final breath she fell down to her knees and surrendered, wincing at the pain of loss.

Renati jumped into the ring and dragged Varas to the edge. Heavily panting, she looked into her eyes and said: "At least you got to see him fight"  
She handed her an old Denn'Bok and asked: "Finish it, please"

The gigantic Maradas, Bharat, was too busy enjoying the attention he was getting from the crowd to notice his new opponent rising. Renati appeared next to him and with a stout heart she called out: "I will not let my friend's honour go undefended. I challenge you to Slikoh"  
The large creature turned over to her and took several steps closer. He stepped up until he was towering high above her, looking straight down onto the top of her cape.

"Little Anla'Shok", his hoarse voice cursed, "Do you know the Slikoh rules for taking over a fight in the so called name of _honour_?"  
Renati did not lift her eyes, but did not reply. Actually, she didn't.  
Bharat let out a loud, thundering laugh. It roared through the public as a presage to spectacle, but for Renati it sounded like the welcoming of doom. She gathered her courage for she had no choice, she could not break her promise to Varas.

Renati raised her hand front of her, her fist clenching around Midiri's retracted Denn'Bok. Her knuckles touched the dirty muscles of the beast's abdomen. With her other hand, she removed her hood and revealed her Minbari nature to the public.  
A heavy gasp seemed to emit from the people's mouths simultaneously as the older ones figured out the vendetta.

"Do you cower away?", Renati asked with fire in her eyes now.

The beast sorted again and grabbed her wrist. "Never! Definitely not for arrogant little Minbari! I shall kick you back to the snooty planet you came from"

"Ah ah, aren't you forgetting anything?", Renati stopped her opponent from getting ahead of himself.  
"What do you want?", he snarled.  
"I want both the Denn'Bok and the pin", she demanded.  
"You cannot have two things!", Bharat protested.  
"As a matter of fact I can, they both belonged to the same person. I claim all treasure you have taken away from my friend", Renati stood her ground.  
The beast stood in thought first, but then replied: "For that, there will be an equal prize in return"  
"What is it you wish?", Renati asked valiantly, prepared to give up anything that was hers.  
"Your bone"

The combatants' eyes locked one and never left until the first strike would be dealt.  
_To the death_

Renati bowed respectfully to her opponent who was too busy arousing the crowd. As soon as the battle commenced, Renati gave the creature a - what should have been fatal - blow to the head by jabbing her Denn'Bok into his face.

Bharat went down, but took no fatal damage. The crowd went quiet. They had not expected such a blow so fast, nor did Renati's opponent.  
She walked around him, keeping a close eye on his moves and anticipating his return.

He got up, jested forward and fought her Denn'Bok with his bare hands and bones.  
Bone against Bok, Bok against Bone.

Bharat took the fight to the next level by speeding it up. He started to hit Renati more often now as she was not able to combine the speed she had with the strength she needed to counter his blows.  
They were incredible, she finally understood why even the Warriors were not fond of fighting these Maradas.  
Tactically however, Renati outclassed him. She tried hitting him on the side to pass by him, but he managed to dodge the attack and hit her hard in the stomach with his first. The power of the blow sent Renati couple of meters backwards, but Renati managed to flip over and landed on her back in the sand.

She saw that Bharat was about to bull rush her and tried to roll away in time. However, he came at her fasted than expected and hit her on the chest, sending her flying backwards again, all the way across the circle.  
Her bone took the larger part of the beating, but Renati fell forward on her hands and knees nonetheless.  
Her hand reached for her stomach as she felt a striking pain go through it. She coughed hard and painful as saw drops of blood colouring the sand red.  
_That's what that was_

There was more pain than just her stomach. A sharp stinging pain surged through the side of her head to the back of her bone. When she reached her scruffy hand to touch it, she felt a large part of her bone had chipped off!  
_You will pay for that_

Bharat laughed at the reaction of his opponent and mocked her publicly.  
"On your knees for a bit of blood? Pathetic!"

Fully confident, he rushed towards her, ready to crush her against the rock. Renati had just enough time to push herself up with her Denn'Bok, escaping his deadly blow.  
While airborne, she opened both arms and slashed him around the neck with her armguards.  
With unseen speed, he managed to dodge one cut but the other dove straight through his shoulder down to his right upper arm.  
Purple blood oozed from the wound as the flesh fell to the ground and Bharat screamed in pain to the crowd.

Renati looked at the crowd and shook the _ooze _off her blade with a flick of the wrist. This small victory had given her confidence, perhaps the push she needed. She felt like she was in control now, she could take him on. He was just another opponent, just another meaningless Human, Drakh, Maradas... it didn't matter what skin he carried, his soul would be set free.

Blinded by pain and anger, the mighty beast rushed forward again, this time engaging her in close combat. Renati's Denn'Bok made an awful sound when they hit his bones, the voice of terror holding audience in trance.

All eyes were on the hands fighting for victory, fighting for life. Suddenly Bharat grabbed Renati's one hand and slashed her across the chest. She was able to back down from the force of the blow, but still got some of the cut.

Again, she fell to the ground, this time filled with pain. He had cut her over her abdomen, but on first sight had hit nothing vital. It appeared to be a surface cut only, but Renati was not that well atoned with controlling her pain.

_If I feel it, you shall feel it_

"We live for the One, we die for the One…", Renati whispered as her fist clenched on to some sand. When it slid through her fingers she pushed them down, pushing herself up.  
The crowd was surprised, but Bharat was amused.

"Still don't know when to give up? You arrogant Minbari, you will never learn. To extinction with you!", he yelled and dashed forward to the half-beaten Renati.

Again their weapons clashed in close combat, but Renati's movement was different. Bharat couldn't predict her movement, the pattern was too irregular.  
He decided to rely on his best moves, thus rushed towards her.  
He searched for her gaze as he leapt up, lifting one of his spikey arms for a final blow from above.

Suddenly he found himself hanging in mid air. Renati stepped on his knee that was still lifted and kicked him in the face with her shoe.  
She then leapt off his shoulders, twirled over him and readied her blades. As she descended she opened her arms with a swift move cutting through Bharat's neck like butter.  
Before she reached the ground, his head spun off and left his body defenceless.

Renati landed on the soil behind him, her arms next to her body, the blades dripping purple. Covered in her own blood, she paused and scanned the crowd before victoriously crying out "For the Anla'Shok! May they henceforth be treated with respect!"  
The crowd remained silent at the loss of their local hero, but accepted the victory.

Renati, though exhausted and suffering from intense pain, did not show it to the public and remained standing up straight. She took the Denn'Bok and the Ranger Pin out of the box one of Bharat's servants brought her.  
She carried it to Varas, who was speechless at the sacrifice her friend would have made for her.  
"Let's go", Renati spoke rather dryly.


	8. Chapter 8: Training the Rangers

**Training the Rangers**

"She did what? Publicly? In Valen's name...

Yes. Yes, I understand. Of course. I will relay the message.  
Yes she has overstepped the boundaries – again.  
I see.

No, this will not happen again Satai Dhaliri, I will personally see to it."

Anla'Shok Na was disturbed with the news he had just received. Renati's public display of power was not one the Minbari race would appreciate, no matter what the reason. Perhaps it was time to show the feisty Religious Caste that her outbursts of rebellion come with a price

* * *

Renati woke up in sick bay, picking up the whispered conversation of her fellow Minbari Anla'Shok who had patched her up.  
"I didn't even know it could break off that far. In my entire career as hela'mer assistant I have never seen anything like this. Surface chipping, yes, but a fourth of her crest is missing", the assistant said to the other Anla'Shok.  
"Well, those are Warriors for you", the Anla'Shok replied.  
"She's Religious", the hela'mer assistant commented.  
"No she's not… she can't be. Have you ever known a Religious Caste who would risk going through life with a part of her head bone missing?"  
"Well yes, her!", assistant replied once again.  
"Let's ask her!"  
"Alright. You do it", the assistant one suggested to the Anla'Shok, who looked at his companion with doubt on his face.  
"Let's ask Varas!"

"Morning", Renati let out, trying to hold back a smile, "I see you have moved my plant"  
"Yes, Akel thought it would make you feel better if it were next to you since you have been making it a habit of staying here", the hela'mer's assistant replied.  
"One would think she's making a point..", Renati replied as she tried to get up.  
Considering the beating she had suffered, she was in good condition. She had many bumps and bruises and of course the occasional battle scar here and there, but aside from 3 broken ribs and her bone crest of course, she was intact.

"How long will it take before I'm back to my old self again?", she asked.  
"A couple of months, depending on your progress and future encounters", he replied dryly, "In the best case, within a month and a half"  
"Excellent", she said as she got out of the sick bed, taking her plant with her.

As soon as Renati had left the room, the hela'mer's assistant turned towards the Anla'Shok: "See I told you she's of the Religious Caste! How many Warriors do you know have a plant?"  
Both Minbari paused for a minute after which they replied in unison: "Let's ask Varas!"

* * *

You have 42 new messages.

_Grand._

Several messages were from the Worker Caste crew building the Enan'Fi with updates on how construction was going as well as how the contact with the Vorlon went.  
Bosh himself had sent her a very cryptic message she couldn't make heads or tails of, but decided against investigating it further. She would just ask him when she went back.  
And of course many messages were from a very worried Akel, who ended with: "I moved your plant"

The last message was one from Anla'Shok Na himself.  
The communicational hologram told her her that she had made quite a name for herself now and that a lot of people have started to notice her.  
"You have proven yourself in battle, stealth, diplomacy and more. It is time for a different type of challenge.  
There is a new project that we are launching and its in desperate need of a good leader", his words honoured her well.  
With anticipation, she put on her Anla'Shok gear – albeit slower than she was used to doing it – and left for Anla'Shok Na.

"Anla'Shok Na", Renati spoke with reverence as she bowed before him.  
"Renati", he spoke in a neutral, but welcoming tone.  
"It gladdens me to see you up and about, although not fully recovered", he noticed.  
"My apologies Anla'Shok Na. I have instructions from the hela'mers which will aid me to be in top shape again within two months", she replied.  
"Good, good. However, for this next mission, mere mental awareness is all you will need", he spoke mystified.  
"If you will Anla'Shok Na, please shed a light on this new project the Anla'Shok are handling"

Lennon gestured for Renati to follow him from his work place into the gardens.  
Strolling through the calming environment together would hopefully benefit her reaction, he thought. He gave her some time to absorb the atmosphere of the living. The fauna and flora, the different – fresh – air, ...  
Everything that was amiss on a space ship.

Calm did enter Renati's state of mind as she riveted the wondrous sensation of nature.

"The time has come for us, Anla'Shok, to broaden our horizons and think in new ways if wa are to defeat the Ancient Enemy", Lennon's voice broke the silence. He met with a curious gaze of Renati's and continued.  
"As you well know, it is not always easy for a Minbari Anla'Shok to infiltrate in a community as whenever there is a Minbari present, heads turn"  
Renati nodded in agreement. There have been several occasions where walking around hooded was not an option and being Minbari was hardly low profile.

"We need to introduce a new species to the Anla'Shok. A species that can blend in well with other races and can handle the training", Anla'Shok Na explained his intentions.

Renati looked puzzled. Surely no inferior race could be worthy enough to complete the highly regarded Anla'Shok training? It is tough even for Minbari, let alone for another race. Most of them do not posess the mental power to solve even the simplest of riddles.

Stopping her from speculating too much, Lennon forced her attention upon him by continuing to speak: "This project is not the only reason I had you come to me today"  
"It is not, Anla'Shok Na?", Renati replied curiously.  
"Another aspect of yours that has recently come to my attention Renati, is your specific despise for the Human race", Anla'Shok Na continued, "Despise is often not even sufficient, one would even call it hatred.  
This hatred does not fit in with Anla'Shok policy, Renati"  
"I have good reason to hate the Humans Anla'Shok Na, they have caused me much sorrow and pain", she defended her feelings.  
"They have caused many others than yourself sorrow, as we have returned them just as much suffering. However, it is time that we put that stage to a stop and move on to a new era.  
An era in which we work together.  
And that is what this project is about", he continued as he stepped into a room which separated another room from it by a half-transparent crystal wall.

On the other side of the crystal, 20 Humans were lined up, waiting, not knowing they were being watched.

"Captured?", Renati wondered as she studied the specimens.  
"No, they are here voluntarily", Anla'Shok Na replied.  
"Why would Humans voluntarily come to Minbar, Anla'Shok Na? And more so, why would we allow them to?"

Renati was confused. Anla'Shok Na's vision on Humanity was different than that of the larger part of the Minbari people. Offer them redemption? Why? And to what end?  
She didn't like where this was going.

"They come here seeking guidance and training", Lennon explained.  
"Guidance and training?"  
"Yes, guidance and training in the way of the Anla'Shok. They are the new race to be introduced into the Anla'Shok", Anla'Shok Na told Renati.

"Humans as Anla'Shok? Forgive me Anla'Shok Na, but they are an inferior race! They cannot handle the physical training, let alone the mental pressure!", Renati protested heavily.  
The mere thought of having Humans amongst them as equals made her stomach turn.

Impossible! The people would never accept it!

"They are the key to the progress of the Anla'Shok", Anla'Shok Na replied in a calm manner, secretly enjoying the agitation of the young one.  
Renati was special, but like all would come to know her place. That's what her involvement in this project was about.  
"And which Minbari will be compassionate enough to train these Humans?", she said in disgust.  
"You will be"

Renati took a step backwards and held back a laugh.

He was kidding.  
He had to be.  
He wouldn't do this to her, this is not possible.

"I'm sorry Anla'Shok Na, but there must be some mistake. You cannot possibly want for me to train them", she paused, "They will not survive…"

The large, proud Minbari approached Renati and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. The blackness of his garment accentuated the paleness of his skin. Skin which was spotted light blue around the back of his head, near the top edge of his Religious carved bone crest.  
He did not just have one large blue spot ending in a tip as other Minbari do, but also had some scattered blue patches around it, crawling along the edge of his head bone towards his forehead.

"That is exactly why you are the one we need for this job. I know you will give the Humans the same training the Minbari Anla'Shok receive.  
I know you will show no mercy, you will not grow soft on them. I know you will only pass the best of the best, even if that means none.  
That is why I trust you with this task"

Renati went quiet for a moment in reflection. It was not as if she had a choice in the matter, but she still found it highly inappropriate.

Renati training Humans into Anla'Shok, a world gone mad – seriously.  
Would they even be fit enough to survive?

"Besides", Anla'Shok Na continued, "Akel Zen herself recommended you for the job. You would not go against your mentor's judgment now, would you?"  
"Akel knew about this?!", Renati bellowed.  
Anla'Shok Na smirked at her reaction. "I'm counting on you Renati"

* * *

_They seek guidance and training in the way of the Anla'Shok..._  
_I know you will show no mercy, you will not grow soft on them..._  
_Another aspect of yours that has recently come to my attention Renati, is your specific despise for the Human race..._  
_I'm counting on you Renati..._

He was counting on her.  
Letting down Anla'Shok Na was not an option, although she cursed him for saddling her with this execrated mission.  
She took a long good look at the Humans in the room and decided to get on with it. They weren't going to train themselves.

Renati put on her cloak and entered the room through the back door. The Humans were busy conversing lively as they typically do, so enthralled with their own performances they failed to notice Renati.  
She waited a little over 4 minutes until someone finally saw her. The talking gently died down and all heads turned towards Renati.

The girl who noticed her was called Julia.  
"Julia, explain to me why you are superior to the others", Renati prompted. She immediately got rid of the playful atmosphere.  
"I'm sorry ma'am?", the Human replied confused.  
"You noticed me before any of the others did. This proves your superiority to them. Tell me why", Renati asked again, hiding her gaze in her cape.

She sensed the others were feeling uneasy, nervous even. Their welcoming onto the planet had been friendly, very different from the treatment they were getting now.

What was different about this Minbari? Or was it the reception committee that was different?  
This cold hearted shell, was this what the Minbari race was like?

"I am superior because my perception is better than theirs", Julia replied, uncomfortable with putting herself ahead of the others.  
"Indeed you are. The others will do well to remember this"

Renati tagged down the line with her eyes, carefully studying the body language of every recruit. Not half of them would make it through, she could confirm that already. Nevertheless, orders are orders and will be followed.

Imposing as she enjoyed, she paced in front of them without granting them her eyes.  
"You will each tell me why you seek to join the Anla'Shok, right to left", she commanded.  
Most of them had personal reasons, amongst which Julia.

A smart-ass stepped up and explained to his annoyance that everyone probably had personal reasons for joining the Anla'Shok or they wouldn't be here right now.

Naturally, his behaviour offended Renati, but luckily for him she had expected a scene like this.  
A calm, controlled answer followed: "You are correct. However, the reason I want to know is because as an inferior race you are not as much in control of your feelings as we are.  
We must not let personal sentiment take over. We can let it guide us in our cause, in our battle together with the One, but we cannot let them cloud our judgment"

Renati paused to absorb their reaction, but then continued.  
"If you feel you cannot do this, you might as well leave now and spare me the trouble of telling you that you are not Anla'Shok material.  
We live for the One, we die for the One, you must remember this at all times"

Her harsh words pierced some of the trainees to the bone. More of them started to believe this one was the 'real' Minbari. Stuck up with themselves and still in warm memory of the war.

If she was to be their mentor, they were done for. Morale sunk so low it could not drown a germ. The Anla'Shok hid a grin under her cape.  
_Better to filter them out now and spare us both the suffering_

Soft whispers filled the room as confusion made way for fear. The humans were cowering like a pack of Brakiri in enemy territory.  
"And who hell is this One you speak of?", one of the trainees dared confront her.  
Renati walked over to the recruit and towered over her. She was very impressive up close compared to her, even though all they could see were her lips and chin.

"You come to join the Anla'Shok without even knowing its history? How can you get involved in something you do not know?", she bellowed. The woman shrank by the second in comparison to Renati who grew with frustration for this incompetent bunch they had left to her mercy.

"The One, for those of you who do not know, is the leader of the Anla'Shok. He is addressed as Anla'Shok Na and is Valen's voice to the Anla'Shok. He guides us in the battle against the Ancient Enemy and the safeguard of the Universe", she explained.  
She noticed that most of them had no idea what she was talking about and were making mental notes about the One.

Renati left the room for a minute to calm herself down and to let them blabber amongst one another. She took a couple of deep breaths in light of speed meditation. Her patience was being tested beyond its barriers, yet she could not afford to falter.  
She had to control her temper or the consequences would be great. Anla'Shok Na will not forgive her if she failed.

When she returned, she did the same as before, yet this time it was the one by the name of William who noticed her first. He nodded by means of acknowledgement, but this displeased Renati.  
In an effort for peace, she explained how Minbari greet one another and tried not to frustrate herself in the mistakes the Humans were making while mimicking the gesture.

"Tell us more about Valen, please", William spoke up.  
Renati frowned though they could not see. She was shocked they did not know of Valen, however took small relief in their quick learning curve.  
At least their questions were already better phrased.

She walked towards the back of the room and pointed at some books lying there.  
"Everything you need to know about Minbari culture, including Valen, you will find in these books.  
We have prepared a small summary of the elements that make up the Minbari culture. You must familiarise yourself with them by tomorrow, when your initial training will commence", she ordered.

Each of the recruits took one large and two smaller books in their hands and quickly browsed through them.  
"This way we will avoid any _further_ misunderstandings", Renati emphasised.  
"Please do not fire when we show respect by opening our gun ports", she said in a harsh tone of memory as she left.

The Humans, in commotion by what they had just learned, stood perplexed.


	9. C9:Minbari patience vs Human shenanigans

**Minbari patience versus Human shenanigans**

The training room was spacious and airy, beautifully lit by the light peering through from the top, yet clad in typical Minbari soberness. The Human recruits had gotten accustomed to the lack of decorations in the Tuzanor decors.

Some weapons on display on a table on the side, which was attached solely to the wall. They reached from familiar Human blades to alien looking spikes.

Renati explained to the recruits that she would take a look at their battle skills, when she noticed they were making a mess trying to get rid of their books.  
"Humans, please, the technology is there, use it", she said as she hovered over a contact crystal in the wall, triggering another table to slide out of it.

The recruits still had to get used to the Anla'Shok's harsh way of addressing them, but had learned by now that it was best not to argue with her.  
Some of them were praising their gods that it was a female training them, for if this is what the females are like, Lord save them from the males' temperament.

The class was divided in smaller groups and each selected their weapon of choice. The humans fought each other in pairs, but their skills were appalling to Renati's opinion.  
Even if most of them had chosen familiar weapons, the low risk level did not flatter their ability.

There were two who stood out: William, who had selected a Denn'Bok, and Julia, who fought with her bare hands.  
Renati teamed Julia up with Patrick, who claimed to have had combat experience in the military.  
With a single swift move she caught the hand of the bulky man swinging his knife at her, twisted it around and by turning his own weight against him flipped him over her back and threw him through the room, knocking him out cold.  
She even got a satisfied grin from Renati.

"Excellent", the Anla'Shok said, "Do you know why she won this fight?"  
She paused for a moment, letting them ponder on the question. Some 'Human treatment' advice a fellow teacher had given her.

"Because she left her ego behind and she knew exactly what she needed to do with her opponent", she answered her own challenge.  
"Leaving your over-confidence behind and studying your opponent are the key elements to winning every fight. That is why we won the war against you Earthers, we applied these techniques."  
"Didn't we win the Earth-Minbari war?", one of the recruits spoke up hesitantly.

Renati just gave him a glare and continued with the demonstration.

* * *

The coming days were filled with adjusting the programme to Human needs. In several cases it was a matter of life and death, although Renati remained reluctant about any adjustments needed.

The Humans' inferior physical ability was first to annoy her.  
However, thanks to the shamelessness of some of the recruits, she soon found out that minor adjustments of the exercises still generated the desired result.

For example: Minbari lift weights moving their hands from next to the body all the way in front of them, while humans perform much better in these exercises when lifting the weights above their heads.

The agility / stamina parcours was a total disaster. The furthest the Humans got was one third of the track.  
The parcours would be revised.

Another problem arose with meals: Humans are highly carnivorous and cannot get enough nutrients from the Minbari alternatives.  
It was difficult to get by any meat in Minbari society, as solely the Warriors consume it – out of necessity. The others get everything they need from vegetables and Minbari equivalents of tofu and products alike.

Unfortunately for the Humans training at such a high rate, this wasn't enough. On top of that, they didn't like the vegetables the Minbari served them.

In an effort to keep the cook from harming the recruits, Renati took the best of her patience and listened to their demands.  
Eventually they came to the agreement that the Humans would cook for themselves, but the Anla'Shok would supply the provisions needed. They would also import beef products as they could not come up with an acceptable alternative.

Four weeks later Renati was most surprised by the Humans' capability of adaptation. In such a short time they had already organised proper housing for themselves, rotation tables for cooking and so on.

They seemed to try out things straight away and learn from trial and error, rather than calculating the correct solution before starting.  
Renati would suggest this method to Varas for low risk situations. It carried certain potential.

It was around the fifth week the true concerns started.

The Human recruits were exhausted, mentally as well as physically.  
One of the recruits, William, had insisted they cannot keep up with the schedule. They need at least 9 hours of sleep, not 5, excluding meditation.  
Although Anla'Shok Na did not appear satisfied with adjusting the programme even further, they were left with not much of a choice. The Humans would enjoy 8 hours of sleep, excluding meditation. That was as lenient as they could be.

Beside the change in programme, a day in the woods surrounding Tuzanor did them well. Being out in the open, not confined to their lessons, allowed them to flourish and regain the morale they had when they started their training.  
Renati saw it as confirmation of their inferiority, but took pleasure in seeing them adapt.

When they returned to their quarters in Tuzanor, common grounds were filled with happy cheers and Human songs. Renati wondered if joy amongst Humanity was always this loud.  
One of them even had a mouth harmonica which brightened up the atmosphere.

Unfortunately for him, the sound did not please the Minbari ear, to say the least. To them it was the most horrible sound they had ever heard, equivalent to a thousand nails scratching over a blackboard.  
The music was unfinished: it played in between full notes, which was impossible for Minbari ears to endure.  
Anla'Shok Na himself had been shaken out of his bed from this noise, but left the comments behind when he saw Renati run by and heard her muttering "Stupid Humans…" and some more incomprehensible words.

Moments later, the infernal racket ceased.  
Lennon did not know how Renati silenced them, nor did he care to find out. Slumber took him back between the sheets.

* * *

After the sixth week of the evaluation period Renati spoke to her pupils again and told them the first phase was over.  
Whoever thought they couldn't handle it, was free to go.

Two out of 20 recruits left, the others stayed. The ones leaving were 'escorted' back to their ships by two Minbari telepaths.

The ones who stayed were treated to the rest of Renati's speech: "Now that your training will commence, I have decided to remain your teacher, your mentor, your guide, your connection to the Minbari world", she spoke.

She moved both hands up to her hood and slowly took off her cloak, revealing herself for the first time to the Humans.  
They saw her strong, female body in her Anla'Shok uniform being accentuated by her firm yet elegant naked arms.  
Her face was stern and firm, telling even for a Humans' eyes, and her head bone an eye-catcher.

Those who weren't directly across from her noticed that a large piece of bone was missing at the back of her head.  
With a warm, confident voice, she spoke: "I am Renati ra First Fane ra Chu'Domo, Minbari of the Religious Caste. From now on, you will address me as Sech (1)Renati"

**Footnotes**

(1) - Sech _(Adrenato)_: Teacher


	10. C 10: Sifting the wheat from the chaff

**Sifting the wheat from the chaff**

Five months had passed since Renati had commenced her training with the Anla'Shok. In this period of being exposed to the lesser species she had been more shocked, surprised and offended than she had been in a lifetime.

But what worried her most is that towards the end, she started to enjoy it. Their company was no longer repulsive, it was not pleasant neither, but she no longer felt the need to kick them out of the solar system for their incompetence.  
She merely laughed away their mistakes and corrected them where she could.

They would never become the Anla'Shok the Minbari were, but after a long talk with Anla'Shok Na and his advisor, Rathenn, they had concluded the Human Anla'Shok would be cut out for a different kind of mission than the Minbari. In some cases there would be overlap, but the main objective would be blending in , focused on environments where Minbari naturally stand out.

Renati had also come to learn she was not the only pioneer in this project. A total of a hundred and fifteen Humans were being trained by different Sechs on Minbar.  
The insinuation of their involvement in the future Enan'Fi fleet had met with large protest of Renati's once again, but Lennon was pleased with her evolution.  
It was no time to push the bucket.

Thus the moment had come for their final mission: survival.

Renati took them to Tikir falls, a peaceful nature-filled area a hundred kilometres East of Tuzanor. She stated it would be a three day leisure trip to break the training.

On the last day of their _leisure trip_, Renati explained they would do a practice reconnaissance mission.  
She divided them into 2 groups: 1 group of 8 and another group of 10.

In the group of 8, four of them carried red scarves. They needed to bring those scarves, which symbolised classified information, to a checkpoint while they were being hunted by the other 10.

Bonus points were awarded to each team for inventiveness and good judgment. All recruits had sufficient time to prepare for the 'excursion' and got to choose what they would bring along.

The scarf team was dropped off in front of the mountains, so they had 3 choices: the hard road through the mountains, the longer but safer road along the river or the open road near the fields.  
These fields contained Minbari fruits that grew like the Humans grow grapes, with levels in between.  
The scarf team had a 30 minute lead on the pursuers' team.

They decided to split up into 2 groups: a group of two went over the mountains and the other of six went along side the river.

Next, the pursuers' team was dropped.  
Renati had them dropped at strategically valuable positions and she had given one of them a stun gun, just to make it interesting.

Three were dropped at the end of the river, 2 at the end of the fields, another two in the centre of the fields near the mountains and the last three (along with the guy with the stun gun) on the starting position of the scarf team.

Renati would keep an eye on things from a small transport ship when necessary, but had placed some beacons to avoid flight but ensure complete control of the situation.

To her dismay, she concluded the Humans were not up to this type of mission yet, at all.

None of them had thought about bringing extra food or a blanket and nightfall arrived. They had estimated it would take half a day to hike the 40km parcours. One can do that in half a day on a flat field, but not when going through the mountains.

Misjudgement number one.

Nights on Minbar were generally cold, as it was the only time that all 3 suns did not hit the surface, so most of the Humans would be really cold that night.

The Scarves team at the river used their common body heat to warm each other along with sleeping in some holes they had dug in the ground to be out of the wind.

The other scarf team in the mountains had found shelter in a cave that held a pleasant temperature of 12 degrees. How inventive of them!

The two persuaders that had been dropped off at the centre of the fields, had crossed the mountains. At nightfall, they also made use of their body heat because they didn't bring a lighter.  
They did however have binoculars and saw in the distance that one of their companion teams had lit a fire to warm themselves. They would attempt to join with them the next day.

The last team didn't have any provisions left and was freezing to death, so Renati disqualified them to keep them from getting any sicker. After reluctantly picking them up with her flyer, she returned them to Tuzanor, where they were treated for hypothermia.

Some of them begun to realise that this mission might not end at the next dusk – or dawn for that matter.  
"We will have to ration", Tristan said to Trisha. She agreed.

The next morning the scarf team in the mountains, Trisha and Tristan, had got up at 4 o'clock, first sunrise, to outrun the others.  
Trisha unfortunately had sprained her ankle the day before and was in a bad condition to cross the mountains. However, she kept going.

They found the other team sleeping between some rocks and decided to efficiently get rid of their competition. Trisha took off her bandages and handed them to Tristan who tied their opponents together before continuing their journey.

They now had binoculars!

Tristan noticed the two enemy camps at either side of their fellow scarf mates, who apparently had had the same idea as them of getting up early.  
Trisha signalled the exact numbers and location to the others and agreed to meet up in the mountains.

In the meantime Renati had retrieved the two infiltrators who were bound together to keep them from hypothermia as well.  
The mission was not going to her liking.

* * *

As the trip progressed, Trisha was becoming more and more of a nuisance to the group, she was holding them back. So she decided she would give her scarf to her companion and leave the group in order for them to get to the meeting point alive and with all scarves. She was picked up by Renati as well when the time was right.

When the 7 scarves arrived at the meeting point, they noticed they had entirely outsmarted the others, as they were collected on the far other side of the field and hadn't even noticed them yet. They were greeted by Renati who congratulated them as a team.

"There are blankets, tea and most of all warmth inside the transport ship. Help yourselves to it", she explained, eager to return to base.

The welcome the persuaders team got was a little less pleasant. When they finally arrived half an hour later, Renati gave them a piece of her mind.

"What was that?", she asked in disbelief.

The recruits knew they had screwed up, but apparently the situation was worse than they thought.  
"If I were a Centauri general and you were my soldiers I would have you hung from a pole and picked on by birds for stupidity!", she bellowed and paused to look at their shocked faces.

"Lucky for you, I am a merciful Minbari. Now get in the ship!"

Her disappointed eyes followed William who was in the assaulter's team. She had expected more from him. What was she thinking? She had expected more from every one of them. If it wouldn't have been for her intervention, the Human race would be 8 Humans short.

Pathetic.

Renati did not know there had been a small ruffle between William and Patrick, who carried the stun gun. Patrick's ego had been the main reason for the failure of the trip, but William was not one to sell out a fellow comrade.

The full punishment would follow the next day. For now, they were escorted into a different compartment to the others, where they found 2 of their team mates still tied together. Arguments soon sprouted amongst the human recruits.

Renati announced her return to Anla'Shok Na, but he was on mission off world. His advisor, Rathenn, however welcomed Renati back to the base and congratulated her on returning with all Humans.  
"You have no idea how tempting it was", she commented before retreating to her quarters.


	11. Chapter 11: Atonement and rewards

**Atonement and rewards**

Morning.

_Time to atone for one's crimes_, William thought as he splashed cold water from a basin in his face.  
"Blasted Minbari and their traditions. We _do_ need warm water to make our mornings more pleasant", William involuntarily spoke out loud.  
"Don't let it get to you", Trisha, who was putting on her underwear, spoke from behind. "You didn't do that bad, we just did better", she teased.  
"Lay off it"

William had no mood for humour this morning. This training meant a lot to him. He really wanted to be one of the first to be part of this long lived organisation.

Protector of the universe, master of information, child of the shade.

When he had heard the communiqué about the possibility of Humans being allowed into the Anla'Shok, he had parted with his life instantly.  
His parents, his brother, he left them all behind. All in search of his dream: to protect the universe by being part of this Minbari organisation.

Ever since the war he had been intrigued by them. Especially by the stories he heard afterwards.  
The Minbari had fought many a war before, but in the war with the Earthers they had been vicious. No prisoners were taken, everyone was terminated – or so they were told.  
He never really knew if that was true or not, but common sense told him not to ask his Sech.

The reason the Minbari had been so fanatic in the extermination of the Human race was becoming clearer every day. Every minute he spent longer on this planet, he saw what kind of people they were and how they had offended them.

Aside from the Warrior Caste – with which he hadn't had much contact, if any – the Minbari cared not for war. This was a society that ran without currency.  
Imagine, going down to the local baker's and not having to pay for your bread.

That is something the Minbari did daily. Everyone served the race in their own way, some made bread, others teach the young, even others heal your wounds.

How could this work? Why had no one abused this obviously flawed system?

William had pondered upon this during mediation for many times now, until he had finally reached a satisfying conclusion.  
This big rotating wheel of society was held together by their sense of honour and respect. The word abuse simply does not occur to them.

When a Minbari mother goes to the baker's for bread, she asks only of what she needs. If she needs more today than she did yesterday, she probably has guests. But the baker never asks, not does he question her honesty.

For they are entirely honest, at least on that matter.

William had discovered from the little social intrigue between Minbari that he had spied that there was much tension between Castes, Clans, Families and Guilds. The three Castes each have their own subdivisions. The Religious Caste has Families, the Worker Caste has Guilds and the Warrior Caste has Clans.

External as well as internal tension exists and with that tension comes a lot of political play. Political play in which the Minbari make an art of not telling the truth without telling a lie.

Incredible how it works, really.

But this morning, even the wonders of an alien society could not cheer up William. He had failed – miserably. Would he still have a chance to make up for his mistake?

"Coming, William?"

* * *

"The scarves – as I like to call them - have performed entirely different to the infiltrators, against the odds of 8 to 10", Renati spoke austerely. She had divided the Humans in the same groups as before for the line up for their feedback.

Turning towards the persuaders, she continued.

"They managed to outsmart you, work as a team and make difficult decisions.

Trisha chose to be left behind so the group could go on and deliver the scarves, being the secret information. She saw that she was a nuisance to the group and the bigger picture did not have room for her in it.  
She made a good judgment call.

Her friends would still have been fit enough to return for her after delivering the message, so she would have left this mission alive and the objectives would have been completed.  
The scarf team was also very inventive with the limited materials they had", she spoke while looking at the two who had spend most of the trip tied together.

The Humans looked at the floor, uncomfortable and ashamed.  
_Good, at least there's nothing wrong with their conscience_

"What does fire do?", she asked Patrick, one of the recruits who had lit a fire.  
"It gives light and warmth", he replied unsure.  
"Yes and what does it do at night?", she continued.  
"It also gives warmth and ligh..", as he replied he realised his mistake, "It gives away our position"  
"Exactly. Now, the scarves have found better solutions to stay warm, all quite inventive I must agree.  
However if you would have been better prepared, none of you would have had to resolve to drastic measures to stay warm"

Renati paced around in front of the two lines of recruits listening to her advise. Patience was with her today, fortunately for them.

"You never know how long you will be on a mission and you don't always have the luxury of anticipating the environment.  
Sometimes you think you're going on a diplomatic mission on a moist Narn colony, but in reality you end up fighting your way through the desert looking for your contact in the first place", Renati illustrated.

The recruits knew all too well she was right. They had entirely misjudged the situation.  
Furthermore, Sech Renati explained the basic elements they should always carry with them as Anla'Shok on a mission. The soon-to-be Anla'Shok vowed to never leave on a mission again without them.

After some more tactical and for Renati logical advise, they were dismissed.

* * *

"Sech Renati"  
Renati turned her head towards the sound, hiding the almost fully re-grown bone crest from her companion. She expected to see a Human, but her face soon turned to a smile when she saw a Religious Caste approaching her.

"Satai Rathenn", she bowed.  
"Please, here I am the advisor of Anla'Shok Na. We are both Anla'Shok. I care not for rank amongst the Anla'Shok, you know this", Rathenn humbled away.  
"I find it fitting to remind you of your grandeur every once in a while – even if it is just to set you off", she smiled playfully.  
"May Valen forgive your wicked sense of humour Renati", Rathenn laughed.  
"Oh, he does", she grinned.

Rathenn's shocked eyes met hers, but she questioned him before he could reply: "What is it that brings your attention to me?"  
"Your pupils", Rathenn ignored her previous remark.  
"Oh, those. What have they done now?", Renati asked worried.  
"They are doing nothing until you decide Renati. The recruits selected are scheduled to join Sech Susenn by the end of this cycle", Rathenn informed her.  
"Regular or extended?", she wondered.  
"Regular of course"  
"But that is within 9 days!", she worried.  
"Indeed. Have your selection ready by then. I will see to it that the other are properly 'escorted' back to Earth", Rathenn ensured.  
"The will of Anla'Shok Na is my command", she replied and scurried off in a hurry.

* * *

"Mmmmhhh... how's your training going Renati?", a sleepy Varas greeted her call from a location Renati could not make out.  
"It's still ongoing – they're all still alive", she replied.  
"Waw, you're doing well above my expectations", Varas mocked her friend.  
"Oh shut up Varas. I see you've gotten yourself in another pleasant situation", she returned the mockery as she noticed her friend appeared to be underground.

"Yes well, never agrue with a Drazi female in her own language, alright? I'm currently incognito", she explained.  
"Incognito? What's that? Drazi for underground?"  
"No, I am.. under cover"  
"Literally", Renati couldn't help herself.  
"Alright alright, enough of each other's misery. We both know we're much better together, but you were the one who decided to get hurt on the last mission", Varas complained.  
"Hey, I did that for-"  
"Why did you want to speak with me, Renati?", Varas avoided the subject.  
"I need your thoughts on something", she spoke, "Can you receive a file?"  
"Sure, reception is fairly well here in these moist caves", Varas teased herself now. She strengthened her receiving signal until Renati's file was fully captured.

"Those are some of the recordings and all my reports on the Human Anla'Shok trainings. I need to decide before 9 days who I will select and who will go home, but they haven't completed the training yet. They are going at an incredibly slow pace", she complained.

"First of all, don't think much of the schedule Renati. I think Anla'Shok Na knew they weren't going to complete it in the first place, but just wanted to see how far they could be pushed.  
Just make sure they get most of the basics, they'll be fine. They're resourceful enough, are they not?"  
"Oh that they are", Renati laughed, carrying a small hint of pride.

"What is it you want me to do?"  
"I want your opinion on my selection, before the end of the 8th day, if you find the time of course", Renati asked.  
"Oh I'm not going anywhere for a while, make them think I have left already. It's an excellent time killer actually, thank you", she smiled.

"Any suggestions on what I could still do in this short period of time?", Renati asked for guidance.  
"I presume more practical training would be helpful. Have they received Denn'Bok training yet?", she wondered.  
"No"  
"You might want to focus on that Renati. An Anla'Shok without a Denn'Bok... seriously, we could not bear the shame", Varas teased.  
"A great help as always", Renati replied relieved.  
"Don't worry, just save the recordings for when I get back!"  
"Athah(1)"

* * *

"Teachings of the Denn'Bok. By Shai Alyt F'hursna Sech Durhan", Trisha read as she walked towards the training facilities on Tuzanor.  
"Some title eh? I thought Sech Renati said the Minbari do not care much for titles, they are all circumstantial", sharp-tongued Patrick asked.  
"Do not take everything she says literally Patrick. Sometimes, no most of the times, you have to read between the lines when she's telling you something", William cautioned the other recruit.

Not his friend, but the _other _recruit, for he did not feel much for Patrick. He was not Anla'Shok material, not honourable enough to William's liking. He was secretly hoping Patrick would not make it past the selection. He didn't want to have to rely on him in the field...

"You're telling me I have to translate everything she says in Adrenato to English _and_ read between the lines?", Patrick complained.  
"Don't translate it to English then", Trisha teased, "Her word games are so much more intriguing in Adrenato anyway"  
"Actually I feel Vik bestows her better. Whenever she explains the commands or formations, she is more passionate about her speech", Tristan argued, half-intoxicated by the thought.  
"I don't think she would appreciate hearing you say that, Tristan", William teased as he took a left down the next hallway. "Proud Religious Castes sound at their best in their native language"

"You know, I wasn't sure about that", Tristan replied, followed by an uncomfortable silence by the group.  
"What do you mean?", Trisha poked further into the matter.  
"Remember when we first came here? She had part of her bone missing. Back then, I thought 'Well, probably an accident, things happen' but as of that day, how many other Religious Castes have you seen with a bone like that?"  
"Perhaps she did have an accident Tristan, I doubt the others would go looking for the same experience", William replied and rolled his eyes at Trisha.  
"He has a point", Patrick, thriving on the distrust, replied.  
"Even without the part missing, she has a different bone to all the other Minbari here", Patrick continued, "We haven't seen a Warrior yet. For all we know, she is one"

"What if she is?", William stressed the pointlessness of the discussion.  
"Then she has lied! And thereby dishonoured herself and us!", Patrick insisted.  
William had enough of it and grabbed Patrick by the collar.

"Listen Patrick, I know she's hard and I know you have a problem with females bossing you around, but I would have hoped 6 months on Minbar had forced a sense of humility and respect into you.  
If she has lied to us about her Caste, then she will have very good reason to do so. Minbari never lie unless to save face for another. If she is Warrior and she doesn't want to tell us, that means she's protecting someone else.  
An honourable Anla'Shok will respect this decision and not inquire further into it", he tried to get rid of Patrick's poisonous influence.

There were moments William thought Patrick was an infiltrator from Earthforce, set here to gather information for a strike against the Minbari. This was another one of those. The subtle sewing of distrust, the cunning plotting...  
He didn't like it one bit.

Patrick wanted to reply to William's outburst, but was poked in the ribs by Trisha.  
"She's waiting, let's go"

Renati stood in the centre of the room and watched the last of the recruits siple through.  
_At least I taught them punctuality_, she smiled.

Renati was dressed differently today. No long cloak hiding her appearance, but a sober grey training garment clad her body. It consisted of grey long-sleeve shirt and spacey trousers tucked into her black knee-high boots.  
Her Anla'Shok was pin firmly attached to her belt next to her retracted Denn'Bok.

"Today, I will teach you the value of a Denn'Bok. You will come to see why it is such a dangerous and superior weapon", she explained.  
"How can a stick be superior to something that can do a lot more lethal damage like a sword?", mouthy Patrick asked.

Just as he spoke his last words, Renati flicked her hand sideways and, as if it were an extension of her hand, her Denn'Bok slid out, stopping an inch in front of his.

"If you ever call my Denn'Bok a 'stick' again, I will show you exactly how lethal it can be", she warned him.

The shock of the event had thrown him off balance and on his back. Renati withdrew her Denn'Bok and spoke: "Notice that I did not hit him. If I had, he would be knocked out cold". William could not help enjoying the moment.

She presented her Denn'Bok to the public. "Your Denn'Bok is your primary weapon of choice, because it is so volatile.  
Unlike any classical weapon like a knife or a sword, your 'stick' will easily pass through customs. Usually, customs don't even notice you're carrying it because of its compact form. This also goes in the unfortunate event of capture, which does happen some times.

The Denn'Bok is so small it is very easily overlooked. Now, if I press this button however, my Denn'Bok will expand to its true size", she demonstrated.

She swung it around a couple of times to illustrate its ease of handling.

"I will now demonstrate the use of this weapon against others. You may each challenge me with one of the weapons on the other table over there", Renati pointed at a table that appeared from within the wall carrying several classical weapons.

"Volunteers?", she asked with a grin. William approached the table first and selected the Centauri Rapier.  
He bowed before his master and charged her. Renati didn't even blink as she knocked the rapier out of William's hands by hitting his hands with her Denn'Bok. She followed by holding it at his throat, exercising a light pressure so he would stop his action. Disarmed, he looked at her in disbelief.

"As you can see, enemies carrying blades, like for instance this Rapier, are easily disarmed by the use of the Denn'Bok. Just one tap on the right place on his hand and your opponent will instantly drop his weapon.  
William will confirm the action is not without pain, I'm sure. A convenient side-effect", she commented dryly.

"Now, to illustrate that even if he would have hit me it would have made no difference, I invite the next volunteer to give the double knives a try"

Tristan thought that he would be up for it and thus confronted his master. He was slower to attack her, didn't rush into things, but still took the initiative.

His blade hit the Denn'Bok hard and to his surprise did not pierce it. He was not thrown off guard by this and immediately continued his original plan: moving his other free arm down to slice at Renati's abdomen.

As he moved his arm to slice her he suddenly felt a blunt pain from something hitting his arm hard from the side and he dropped to his knees. Renati placed her Denn'Bok in the back of his neck as a sign of victory.

"As you can see, there are 2 sides to a Denn'Bok, which allow you 2 attacks instead of 1 in the same time frame. Incredibly powerful", she stated as Tristan got to his feet.

Renati noticed that Julia had already presented herself as the next volunteer and spoke: "Sometimes it is not possible to disarm your opponent, depending on the weapon they are using. For example, Julia will demonstrate with the arm Ka'tocks"

Julia stepped up to Renati and engaged a very active fight with her. She kept up well with the counter hits of her master, but was constantly on the offensive, whether she liked it or not. Every time Renati's Denn'Bok hit Julia's arm Ka'tocks, she had to put more energy in the fight.

"As you can see, the strain for Julia is very heavy on her arms. Every time I hit her, she is on the verge of pain, depending on her endurance level. In any case, her fatigue is increasing", Renati explained calmly while continuing her sparring session with Julia.

"I on the other hand do not have this disadvantage, as the Denn'Bok is specially designed to absorb shocks such as these. I can go on for much longer than she can", she continued.

And indeed, eventually Renati tired Julia out.

The Minbari Anla'Shok continued her explanation on the advantages of the Denn'Bok, when Patrick, looking for revenge, grabbed the stun gun lying at the far end of the table and aimed it at her, just to make it interesting  
"No way that your stick can stop my shot"

Insulted at him disrespecting her instrument of self-defence and at the same time holding her under fire, she decided not to spare him.

"That depends if you shoot the Human or Minbari way", she replied in a cold voice, not even allowing her gaze to meet his at first.

The others were puzzled.  
"You.. you mean there are different ways of shooting a gun?", Tristan tried.

Renati turned towards the centre of the room and tapped on her wristband. A projector displayed some footage in a 3D hologram.

"Let me illustrate you why so many of you and so few of us died in the war", Renati spoke and explained the images they saw.  
"What you see here is some footage taken on an infiltration mission on Jericho, one of our first great successes in the war. You will see a demonstration of Human firing"

The recruits saw a 10 years younger Renati, clad in full battle gear, in a narrow corridor. They saw her Human enemies had noticed her an instant earlier than she had noticed them and randomly opened fire.

Renati had time enough to find cover and only returned fire at the moments she knew they were reloading. If they watched carefully, they could even see her count.

The Humans shot in uncontrolled random bursts towards the Minbari, which, for the Human recruits, seemed like a good idea and an exciting fight.

Surprised were they when they noticed that Renati knew exactly when they were going to reload and had anticipated the moment she would be out of range.  
Exactly at that point in time, she appeared at the other end of the hallway and rushed towards her enemy.  
With respect, Renati let the footage fade away, but the sound still lingered for a couple of seconds longer.

The room was frighteningly quiet.  
Some were shocked, others amazed and even others horrified as they looked at their mentor.

"You.. you fought in the Earth-Minbari war?", William uttered.

Most of the recruits had experienced the War, but only the older ones had seen battle action. Tristan, who was 27, was a young soldier – 17 years of age at the time – who had seen the Minbari come at them, but never like this.  
His face changed to a pale white as he remembered the frightening nights in the bunkers, wondering when the troops, and hoping they would, come.

Why hoping they would?  
Because there was so little chance of hitting a Minbari space vessel, that the only chance the Humans really had was in hand-to-hand combat on the ground. Combats that had been terrifying, mind-numbing and morale killing.

And now, one of his most feared enemies was standing in front of him. She might have even been in the assault squadron that attacked him, he would never know.  
The only reason he had survived, is because he had hidden beneath the bodies of his friends and played dead; a tactic advised to him by his superior officer.

Tristan clenched his fist and swallowed hard. This was his Anla'Shok master. She had fought for her species just as he had done. They had been on opposite sides of the war, but shared the same determination.  
He tried not to hold it against her, but it was hard.

"Of course I fought in the war", Renati's words pierced through Tristan like glass cuts through flesh.  
"We Minbari only allow the experienced to train their new recruits. How can I possibly train you if I have never been in battle myself?", she replied.

"I'm sorry, we didn't mean any disrespect. Please, let us continue the training", William quickly corrected himself, noticing that Renati was insulted and Tristan was in disarray.

"Remember, the enemy _always_ has a weakness, no matter how strong he may appear at first", she spoke.

_What was theirs? Why did they surrender when they had us on our knees?_  
Many thoughts raced through Tristan's mind. He was distracted, absent.  
Renati noticed his over-activity of distraction and corrected him.  
"Ritif(2) Tristan, do you care to follow the next demonstration of the proper way of firing a gun? So you remember it next time you go into battle", she commented harshly as he unwillingly broadcasted his memories to her.

Tristan was caught off guard, but unlike Patrick, he did still respect his Sech.  
"My apologies, Sech Renati. My thoughts were adrift"  
"So I noticed. Pay attention now  
I will demonstrate the Minbari way of shooting a gun. This footage was taken on another mission during the war, the conquest of Proxima Prime"

The footage showed 10 lines of 6 Minbari Warriors lined up behind some shelter. On the other side of the line, hundreds of humans approaching them.

The Minbari fired in an organised manner: each delivered 3 short bursts, then the next, then the next. The advantage this gave them, was that for the opponent they seem to never run out of ammunition, it comes as continuous burst of fire.  
Of course, the Minbari Warriors did reload, but they did this in an instant and with perfect timing.  
The Minbari on either side always knew exactly how many bullets the Warrior next to them had and they anticipated this.

The recruits now realised the error in the Human way. This was of course a much more structural method of working.

"But they did not have any help from a Denn'Bok", Patrick, still holding the stun gun, challenged his master.  
"No you're right they did not. Allow me to illustrate", she said and moved back ten meters

"I will start here to be fair to you, for if I would start any closer you will not be able to fire a single shot. Now, try and hit me"

Patrick mocked her overconfident attitude and did not delay his action. He immediately shot at the spot she stood at… well had stood anyway, she was gone!

The Human saw his Sech approaching him at incredible speed jumping from left to right. Every time he aimed and fired at her she was already on the other side. He tried to hit her nine times, but missed all.  
After the ninth shot he saw her leap up high into the air, much higher than any human could and had a clear shot. As she came back down he pulled the trigger but nothing but a 'click' came from the stun gun. Renati was descending now, her Denn'Bok coming down on him. In defence he held his hands above his head and looked away.

Just as she was about to hit him, Renati landed on both feet on the floor and halted her movement.  
"Never forget how many charges you have left until you need to reload"

"Very impressive Sech, but couldn't you have done this with any type of weapon?", William rightfully commented.  
"Correct", she replied, "Let me demonstrate something else then. Try hitting me again"

She ran back to her starting position and waited who opened fire.  
Again she jumped from left to right, but William anticipated she would and his shots were more accurate than Patrick's.  
He still failed in hitting her, to Renati's enjoyment.

Suddenly, she grabbed hold of her Denn'Bok, twisted something in the middle and threw it in its retracted state at her student. He didn't pay much attention to it as she had thrown it next to his head.

_She missed!_

He fired once more at his master when suddenly everything turned black.  
Just as it had come next to his head, her Denn'Bok had expanded itself, knocking him out cold.

"It comes with a timer", Renati explained as she winked over for her assistants to carry him to the sick bay, "He'll be out cold for a while"

* * *

Tristan shuffled nervously on his feet.  
"Stand still will you", Julia whispered between her teeth.  
"When will they get here? We've been standing here for twenty minutes now", he complained.  
"Perhaps it's part of the training", William, standing at his other side, commented. "In any case, keep your chin high and look like you can handle it"

The nine last days of their training had passed. Today they would find out who is Anla'Shok material and who is not.

Patrick was on William's mind. Surely Sech Renati would not make the mistake of selecting him. She must have seen through his plots and plannings by now. If there was ever a Human to be reckoned with...

His thoughts were shaken away as he saw Rathenn, Renati and a young Shai'mir(3) enter. The Shai'mir carried several Anla'Shok uniforms, fully fitted with pin. The first Anla'Shok pin to have an etched Human as well as a Minbari.

When they were centred in front of the Ritif, the three Minbari bowed and Rathenn rolled out a scroll.  
"We are delighted to welcome as Anla'Shok, effective immediately, the following Ritif:

Julia Everts, William Cole, Tristan Glock, Ryan Crest and Trisha Minauska.

You carry the blessings of our spirit. May you serve Anla'Shok Na well", Rathenn announced.  
"All others aside from Patrick Straightberry may leave through the left corridor. We regret you will not be joining us, but take comfort in having enjoyed your presence with us. May your journey in life continue", Rathenn continued.

The crowd was startled, they were not used to such a short and straight forward ceremony. No lengthy commemorations here. Thank you and goodbye.

Patrick was uneasy at best. He did not like the way this was going. Were they on to him? Had they seen his hidden plan?

Surely, it could not be. Not even the overconfident Sech had ever shown any sign of realising what was going on. No one had.  
This was not possible. He was being set up! He was sure of!  
But what was to become of him now?

He stood frozen as the others were handed their uniforms. The Shai'mir bowed respectfully to each of them as they took their new life into their hands.  
The others left the room, one by one, until there was no one else left but Patrick.

"Follow me", Renati commanded him. She turned her back, expecting him to do no else.  
_Surely if she were on to me, she wouldn't leave her back open for me to strike? _

Renati grinned out of sight from the man. _Vrak_, she thought.  
"Through here", she guided him into a room but remained outside. When Patrick entered, the door irreversibly closed behind him.  
In front of him stood 2 telepaths sided by a Warrior each. They would ensure all the information Patrick carried fell into the right hands and Patrick himself... well, let's say the Humans will tag him as missing in action.

* * *

After the ceremony, Renati was approached by Anla'Shok Na who congratulated her with her work. "So Renati, are you ready for your next batch of Humans?"  
"To be honest Anla'Shok Na, I believe there are many others who would do just as good a job as I have", she replied softly.  
"Well, just as good a job, I'm not sure about that, but I won't put you through this twice", he laughed.  
"I was thinking about the Humans actually", Renati frowned.  
"Well those sometimes deserve it", he spoke bluntly, "but on another matter: I'm sure you're dying to get back to your ship and test it?"  
"My ship, Anla'Shok Na?", she replied confused.  
"Yes, the Enan'Fi. You must be dying to test it now that Akel has completed the prototype. I for one am anxious for the results so we can start mass production as soon as possible", he spoke in awe.  
"I get to test it?", she was utterly surprised.  
"You did help build it did you not? And together with Varas supplied the most vital elements in technological advancement? Even the Vorlon confirmed the ship is looking better than originally anticipated", he told her.  
"Thank you Anla'Shok Na. I did not dare hope for the honour of actually flying the Enan'Fi", Renati uttered.  
Anla'Shok Na smiled at her, satisfied. "Go now, Akel awaits you"

**Footnotes**

(1) - Athah _(Adrenato)_: I promise (literally: my word)

(2) - Ritif _(Adrenato)_: word used to identify an Anla'Shok recruit. Would translate as 'trainee'

(3) - Shai'mir _(Adrenato)_: Male acolyte


	12. C 12: Taking the Enan'Fi for a test ride

**Taking Enan'Fi for a test ride**

_'You must be dying to test it now that Akel has completed the prototype. I for one am anxious for the results so we can start mass production as soon as possible.' _

Anla'Shok Na's words still rang in her head as she landed in the docking bay of the Tredano. The ship was finally ready and Renati was excited as ever to test it. The first Cruiser class ship with such agility and manoeuvrability it would make a seasoned warrior jealous. Not to mention its revolutionary organic technology basis.

Akel's last report stated they had succeeded, but did not know if they could recreate the process without the Vorlon's intervention. Akel suspected Bosh had made some alterations the Workers did not know of.  
But even without its organic base it was the best ship the Minbari fleet had in its class. In fact, to be correct a new class should be invented for it when it goes into mass production. It was that successful and unique.  
None of the Minbari involved in the project had dared to hope for such a successful result, but it had happened nonetheless.  
For the first time in a while, the universe smiled down on the Minbari.

Renati found only the night crew of the Tredano active and decided to pay a visit to the freshly finished Enan'Fi. No one seemed to be aboard, a perfect time for inspection!

The Anla'Shok was amazed by the streamlined finish and excellent design of the ship.  
It truly looked perfect.

On her way to the bridge she noticed something moving in the corner of her eye. Renati turned around, determined to find the intruder.  
A little further down the hallway she found someone – or something – working on on the floor, bent through his knees. He seemed to be reconnecting some wires.

Renati approached him quickly and placed her Denn'Bok at his throat.  
"Who are you and what are you doing here?", she demanded to know.  
The creature had a furry back, long hair and excessive facial hair, all blonde-brown. It looked at her with little eyes.  
"Zathras, nice to meet you", he spoke and continued his work.  
"What are you?", she insisted and pushed her Denn'Bok harder against his throat.  
"I told you, Zathras", the creature replied, not even looking up.  
"No that is your name, what is your race?", Renati queried.  
"Zathras is name of race. Zathras name of family and Zathras is my name, you hear? Different pronunciation", the creature explained to Renati who just heard him say the same thing three times.  
"Ok Zathras, what are you doing here?", Renati tried again.  
"I come to check on ship, to see if Workers make no mistakes"  
"So Akel knows about your presence?"  
"Who?"  
"Akel Zen, the Shai Alyt of the Sharlin cruiser Tredano flying next to this ship?", Renati explained.  
"Ooooh! No no, not important. Does not know", the creature spoke and returned to its business.  
"If she doesn't know, who do you report to?"  
"Zathras reports to the One"  
"You report to Anla'Shok Na?", Renati was puzzled.  
"No, One from Future!"  
"How do you mean from One from Future? Where are you from?", Renati was losing her patience.

"Zathras is from Future and reports to the One who is also from Future. Zathras come here to check on ship, see if Workers did a good job", he said and tried getting away.  
With a reflexive move she hit him on the side of his head with her Denn'Bok, but surprisingly all he did was shake his furry head in annoyance.

"Lady, you are a tough one. Zathras not spy. Zathras here to help.  
Minbari should accept help or otherwise things will go wrong with ship and if it does it will be Zathras' fault. We cannot have that", he spoke reaching for some switches on a loose control panel.  
Renati jabbed his fingers with one of the dull ends of her Denn'Bok, keeping him under control.  
"I don't believe you. You're a Drakh spy, aren't you? Sent here to investigate our new ships. Your plan has failed", she spoke and moved her Bok to knock him out.

As quickly as he could, Zathras reached for a ring in his pocket and turned it, immobilising Renati as she struck down on him.  
"Ce'Fa Bar?", she wondered, unable to move, but still able to speak.

Zathras shook his legs as he got up and sighed.  
"One from future said you would be difficult. A pity, Zathras did not want to do this", he complained.  
"Zathras will tell you one last time: Zathras come from future to make sure Minbari Workers doing a good job. If they make mistake now, future is in danger"

He looked at the frozen Minbari and pitied her. "If you promise you will do Zathras no harm, Zathras will release you, but you must not intervene!"  
Renati's eyes searched his own for the truth. A soft surface scan revealed nothing evil in this chaotic alien mind. She couldn't explain it, but her conscience spoke against her normal instinct. She had no choice but to trust him.

How much harm could he do if she followed him?

"Alright, I will not intervene. But if you so much as make a move I don't like, I will have your furry body on a stick", she threatened.  
"Yes, yes, I know. Zathras gets that often. Zathras used to the stick, but don't worry, Zathras is kind of nature", he complained and released her from her invisible prison.

Hastily he continued into the walkway onto the bridge. The creature accessed the main computer and changed some default settings.

"If you are from the future, how did you get here? How did you travel through time?", Renati tried.  
"With help of great machine of course. Great machine determines where Zathras goes."  
"And where is this great machine? Who operates it?"  
Zathras was about to answer her but then paused.  
"Ah no, bad! Zathras must not tell you the future, must not talk about it"

Renati was confused and wanted to ask him another question but he interrupted her: "No no no bad!! Fluids are off balance!" he modified some things in the main computer and then handed over a print out to Renati.  
"Now is balanced. It must be the same at all times. Very important! Tell workers!", he said and moved to the engine room. Renati followed him to see what he was up to.

When he entered the engine room he looked shocked.  
"Different colour! Why different colour?", he asked.  
"Oh, well we used the genes from the regenerative grass we found on a planet near Mitoc in the Gaim system to allow the ship to repair itself", Renati explained, but Zathras didn't seem happy with that explanation.  
"And Varas likes pink…", Renati continued.  
"Pink? Why pink?", Zathras asked. Renati took him over to a window and pointed out Varas' Nial fighter. "She likes pink"

Zathras watched closely and asked why she was sleeping. "She comes to rest like that",Renati explained, surprised at the fact that he could see that far.

"You seem to know your way well around here", Renati spoke, "Have you been to this ship in the future then?"  
"No not this ship, other ship", Zathras replied.  
"Other ship?", Renati looked confused, "How many Enan'Fi are there in the future?"  
"I cannot tell", he replied.  
"You're from the future but you cannot tell me what it's like? How convenient for you", she did not let go of suspicion.

Zathras seemed slightly annoyed: "You are a stubborn one. Zathras already explained: Zathras from future. Why are you so difficult?"  
"I do not believe you", Renati replied.  
"No you do not understand, different", he replied bluntly and left Renati.  
"Ok well different colour might be ok. Zathras not been told, but Zathras ask; maybe Zathras return", he said and ran off to check the weapons system.

There he performed some more tests and pointed out that there was a problem with the main canon.  
"If fired, ship will stop for 10 minutes. No movement, nothing. Workers must change", he said and scribbled some notes on Renati's data pad.  
"Can you not come and explain it to them?", Renati asked.  
"No no, Zathras must not teach them. They must learn", he replied, "Must not tell future. Zathras used to doing dirty jobs, must not tell"  
"Are you calling the inspection of my ship a dirty job?", Renati felt insulted.  
"No no, this clean and good job! But if Zathras tells about future you might react different because you will know things you are not supposed to know. Zathras will get punished with dirty jobs. But it's ok, Zathras used to abuse", he continued to rant.

"What about the colour? What if it's not right", Renati worried.  
"Zathras ask. Maybe Zathras come back, Zathras doesn't know", the creature replied and was searching in his jacket pockets for something.  
"How will I know?", Renati asked, but at that moment Zathras disappeared.

The next morning she was woken up by Bosh standing next to her bed. Startled she greeted him. "Can I help you?", she said as she got up.  
"Yes…"  
"Zathras?", she asked. The Vorlon moved his eye and responded "Yes…"  
"Is it true? Is he from the future?"  
"He is"  
"He came to inspect the ship. He found a couple of flaws", Renati said as she passed on her hand computer.  
"He wasn't sure about the colour though. He said it was different in the future and that he would ask if it was a problem."  
"The colour will not be a problem", the Vorlon replied and gently scanned Renati's mind to see how much Zathras had told her.

She already knew too much. The furball had spoken out of his league again. She was not supposed to know of the successful mass production of Enan'Fi ships!  
Left with no other choice, Bosh blocked Renati's memories of Zathras. If she were to encounter him again one day, there was a chance she would remember, but the Vorlon would make sure they didn't. He did not want to risk the failure of his experiment, just now that she was ripening up...

To ensure Zathras' remarks did not go unnoticed, he left some instructions on her hand computer that appeared to come from the lead worker in the form of a to-do list.

One week later, Enan'Fi was finally ready for testing. Varas and Renati raced to be the first there, but Varas didn't have the disadvantage of needing to get into her ship and won the race.  
On the bridge, two other Religious Castes had taken place at each of the weapon control systems. Several other Workers as well as the project leaders were aboard the ship.  
Varas naturally took in the position of second-in-command. The place in the centre was left open for Renati.

"The honour is yours, Alyt Renati", Varas spoke.  
Proud and confident, Renati took place in the commander's spot and prepared her crew for lift off.

When they departed, the crew was astonished at how natural the ship felt. It flew as if it belonged in space, like a fish gliding through water. After opening a jump point, they flew through hyperspace like a knife cutting through butter.

A training area had been set up and equipped with regular as well as firing beacons. It would take a Sharlin cruiser 45 minutes to get there on normal speed, but the White Star only took 27.2 minutes for the trip, and the engines hadn't even been optimized yet.  
The Anla'Shok were impressed by what the Workers had done and called for a salute for them. They greatly valued their team's appreciation. At least here it didn't go unnoticed.

Once at the location Renati ordered some standard agility exercises.  
They flipped, turned, twisted and halted to see how agile and quick the ship was. Workers hastily noted the ship's reactions onto their data pads. Calculations were made on how to optimise spinning, gravity inside the ship during movement and much more;

"Akel must be furiously envious", Renati spoke.  
"Oh you have no idea. But Anla'Shok Na instructed it had to be you. She of course happily obliged", Varas replied with sarcasm.  
Akel was envious yes, but she was also happy and proud. Not just for the finishing of the project, but that her apprentice, Renati was the one flying it. A large ship, with solid ground and tangible guns – not a sitting duck Nial fighter.

Just as they were about to commence evasive exercises, an alarm sounded.  
"Computer, report", Renati spoke.  
"Jump point forming", the computer showed 5 Drakh scouts entering the neutral space area.  
"Looks like we'll get to test our firepower", Renati said with a smile on her lips.  
"Varas, turn around the ship. Nadell, fire up the main cannon and fire when ready. Let's see what she can do"

The initial power up of the main cannon took somewhat longer than anticipated. The lead scientist, Nareel, went mad with taking, but the Drakh ships did not wait for him to finish his analysis. They flew over and opened fire on the ship.  
"Evasive action!", Renati commanded.  
The Enan'Fi took a sharp turn to the left and jested downwards, away from the ships. As she passed through, some pulses hit the hull.

"Damage report", she asked in Vik.  
Nareel hovered over the crystals to check their condition. "Minimal damage. All systems are still operational", he confirmed.  
"Varas: load main cannon, prepare for a charged burst to wipe them out", Renati ordered.  
"With appropriate gymnastics", she added with a grin.

As confident as her Alyt, Varas moved her hands over the new control panel and executed the command.  
The Drakh fighters were on their tail, but just as they closed in on them, Varas turned around the ship with unknown agility. The quick motion was something none of them were used to, so it took a moment longer for them to react. When she had recovered her balance, Varas launched a destructive beam at the scouts. The green ray of light took them out with a single blow, but not without some more stray bursts hitting the ship.

"Excellent!", Renati cried out victoriously, "Did they manage to send out a distress call?"  
"Negative. Nothing shows up on the scanner", Varas replied.  
"Good. What's the damage report?", she asked Nareel.  
"Good actually. She's already healing herself. A Nial fighter would have been instantly destroyed from the fire and a Sharlin would have suffered some basic hull damage, but we have absolute minimal damage.  
By the time the third shot hit the ship she had already learned from the first impact and had adjusted herself to optimise the absorption of the shock. Amazing!", he reported.

"Excellent", Renati spoke, "We shouldn't linger here though. Let's go home and report this"

After opening the jump gate, they were startled by the Drakh mother ship lying in front of them, in hyperspace. Unsure what to do, the crew looked at their Alyt, who followed through her logical mind.

"Varas, power up the canon to 60 and fire", she said.  
"Firing into hyper space Alyt? Is that wise?", Nareel protested from the back.  
"I do not know if anyone has done this before", Nareel warned her, "I cannot predict what will happen"  
"We _can_ predict what will happen if we don't shoot: they will come after us or worse, after Akel. We must stop them", she spoke.  
He paused for an instant, searching for an appropriate reply to prevent her from acting so irrationally, but Renati left no time for judgement of her actions.

"At least you're in the front row to find out"  
Varas charged the main cannon and fired at Renati's command. The beam went straight through the warp point and hit the front of the enemy ship. The beam was continuous and thus dealt continuous damage. Slowly, they saw the front of the ship crumble.  
"We can still increase the power Renati", Varas suggested.  
"Excellent do that"  
"Maximum capacity?", Varas asked her Alyt.  
"No, bring it up to 80. We'll see what happens", Renati was careful not to overload the ship and the situation. She had a bad feeling about this, but what else was she to do?

The ship started crumbling at a much faster speed and within seconds. As soon as the ship imploded Renati ordered the command to stop firing.  
Varas had anticipated the next move and provided evasive action. They dodged remaining fire that erupted from the warp point and remarkably got away without a scratch.

The crew let out a sigh of relief, but it was interrupted by the Nareel noticing a disruption in the space before them. Concerned, he went over his calculations and the readings again, before delivering his terrifying conclusion.

"Renati, I fear we have created a black hole"

She wasn't sure she heard him correctly at first, so asked for him to speak again. When his words sounded in her mind the second time, she realised the seriousness of the situation. Renati felt her heart beating in the throat.  
_A black hole.. How could I not have foreseen this!_

How were they going to get out of this?

"What is it doing?", she asked her crew member.  
"It is already enlarging and starting to attract everything around it. It is growing exponentially", he worried.  
"Can we not reverse the polarity? If we send contrary beams of energy it should collapse instead of expand", Renati concluded.  
"Yes, we could do that, but for that we need to know what the polarity is now. If we guess wrong, it could double the speed of expansion of the hole", the scientist worried.  
"Can't we scan it?", Renati asked. The professor attempted to scan but failed to get a returning signal.  
"How about a beacon?", Renati suggested, "If we let it fly through, we can pick up its signal after it has gone through? Or augment it enough to reach the ship by itself?"

Nareel found this the best idea yet and ordered the launch of a beacon.

Everyone watched in silence as the beacon successfully passed the outer ring of the hole.  
It was slowly moving towards the centre..

It was almost there… almost there…

Suddenly it crumbled and imploded near the centre of the black hole.  
Beacon: not an option.

"Alright then", Renati tried not to despair, "Varas, put me through to Akel"

A joyful Akel Zen appeared on the other end of the communications channel.  
"How are the tests going? She's a beauty I'm sure!", she asked with anticipation.  
"Akel if you want to live you will get me the Vorlon", Renati urged.  
"But.."  
"Now Akel please! There is no time!"

Akel saw her apprentice was serious and went to look for the Vorlon when she noticed he appeared on the bridge.  
"Yes?", he asked Renati.  
"We have a problem. We were ambushed by some Drakh fighters, but managed to eliminate them.  
However, when we tried warping back home, we saw the mother ship in hyperspace, waiting to attack us.  
We had no choice and destroyed the ship. We fired from here into hyperspace and seem to have created a black hole.  
It is rapidly growing! We have tried reversing its polarity, but we can't get a signal. What can we do to stop it?", Renati asked surprisingly calm.

The Vorlon did not like the situation. This was a situation the Minbari could not resolve by themselves, they would have to intervene.  
Why did he not foresee she was going to do that?

Punishing his _student_, Bosh sent Renati some mental images of what had happened centuries ago when someone had made the same mistake.  
Humongous dark whale-like creatures had immersed from the black hole. Creatures that ate the universe, they could devour whole planets. Several small civilisations were lost in the massacre before the Vorlon could intervene. If they would not intervene, part of the Minbari would be next.

Renati lost balance after receiving this mental input and grabbed hold of the rail.  
"Alyt, are you alright?", one of the Workers asked. Still wonky, she opened her eyes and looked at her crew.  
"The Vorlons are going to solve this for us. We must get out of here as fast as we can, the blast will be enormous"

Varas didn't wait for the order and turned the ship around. When they had travelled a certain distance, six warp holes appeared around the black hole. The same amount of Vorlon cruisers emerged from them.

"Varas, feed us visual at all times", Renati ordered as they flew further away from the disaster scene.

The crew of the White Star witnessed the six Vorlon ships powering up their weapons and a seventh one appearing on top of them.  
This last ship did not fire.  
"What is it doing?", Nareel wondered out loud.  
"Waiting", Varas spoke with dread in her voice.

The Vorlon ship waited until its companions unleashed their energy beams on him. The beams were of a type none of them had seen before. It was not a single forward beam, but a stream with multiple others sprouting from it, like a thick rope unwinded.

The seventh Vorlon ship bundled the energy of the other rays, before unleashing it all in one large bundled blow towards the black hole. The massive blob of tentacle-like beams ventured inwards and reacted with the other realm. Its colour lit up and dimmed down, as if there was a storm beneath it.

Suddenly a rip appeared in the surface.  
"Oh no!", Varas gasped.  
The seventh Vorlon ship headed for the gap while his companions fled the scene.  
"What are they doing? They can't leave him!?", Renati protested.

The Vorlon ship attempted to patch up the rip, but the strain became too much. It merged with the beams in an attempt to close the gap. The outburst of energy became too much for the ship to handle.  
"Full burst!", Renati commanded.  
The scene lit up in an amazing array of colours, exploding first, but closing the gap. The black hole was gone, but so was its guardian.  
A Vorlon had perished today, witnessed by Minbari eyes...

"Enan'Fi to Tredano… threat eliminated", Alyt Renati said with a trembling voice.

When the Enan'Fi arrived near the Tredano Renati ordered everyone off the Enan'Fi – even Varas left.

Renati sat in her ship for hours, just staring out in space.

She couldn't believe what she had done.  
A Vorlon had died because of her… and the other was too proud to admit it was her fault so she could not ask for forgiveness….

The guilt tore her apart. She fell to her knees and cried without tears. Tears were not allowed for such a shameful act.  
She placed the palm of her hand on the floor of the ship and begged for forgiveness in Adrenato, Lenn'A and Vik.

She was responsible.  
She had killed a Vorlon. It was her fault… she made the wrong decision.. and she couldn't even apologise to the Vorlon for her mistake.  
How could she ever face Bosh again?

Through her sobs and cries, she heard a gentle sound in her mind. Confused, she tried locating it, but had no idea where it came from. It sounded very familiar though, almost like… almost like the time Bosh sang in her mind to teach her mathematics…

_The ship!_

The Enan'Fi felt its Alyt's pain. It had witnessed the horrible event with as many eyes as the crew had and was processing the loss in her own way.  
She was singing to the Vorlon.  
It was alive...

If Renati opened up her mind enough, she could hear the faint sound of Bosh and possibly some other Vorlon singing along.  
She did not know the language, but could not just stand idly by, so she channelled all of her feelings to the ship.

The Enan'Fi translated them into music for her master. Renati's feelings would be heard by the Vorlon, who would know of her grief.  
She moved from sitting on her knees to lying down on the floor completely, belly downwards, mourning for the lost Great One.


	13. Chapter 13: Rescuing the Heroes

**Rescuing the heroes**

After the incident, Renati and her crew lay low. The Drakh threat remained, but they could not risk revealing the mission.  
The exercises were restricted to safe, controlled areas. No more neutral space.

As days passed, rations grew meagre, so Renati departed for Minbar to get some more supplies. Until the checkpoint of course, from which they continued with a regular Minbari transport ship. They could not risk the Warrior Caste finding out about their ship.  
When she returned, Varas, now her usual second-in-command of the Enan'Fi, showed her a distress signal she had received from Akel's Sharlin cruiser.

They had suffered a cowardly hyperspace attack by another Drakh ship and had been thrown off the beacon. Akel did not know how much time they had left, but the situation was growing more severe by the minute.

Her mentor in danger, Renati didn't hesitate for a minute and ordered the ship to pursue Akel's Sharlin cruiser. The Enan'Fi flew to the last known hyperspace coordinates of the Tredano.

Varas drove the scanners to maximum capacity.  
"Nothing…", she said disappointed  
"They must be further off the beacon than they had thought"

Her look was empty. She knew that chances of finding them now were minimal. Even the Minbari still hadn't figured out hyperspace completely and every time they learned something new, they paid the price.

"We can travel 5 miles off the beacon safely before we get lost", a strong-willed Renati spoke, "Let's try scanning again there"  
Varas manoeuvred the ship off beacon as instructed by her commanding officer and tried again.

Nothing.  
Not a single life sign. Not even the Drakh ship.

"Still no result", she replied with a slight tremble in her voice. Renati stood quiet for a moment, thinking.  
"Are we carrying emergency scatter beacons?", she asked.  
"Yes, but that's for if something happens to us, so they can find us", Nareel, who had insisted on coming, explained.  
"What may happen to us is of no relevance now. We know something happened to Akel and she's around here somewhere. Could the beacons pick up her signal and transmit it back?", Renati asked.  
"In theory yes"  
"In theory? Nareel, can they or can't they?", Renati asked impatiently.  
"Yes they can. But Alyt, what if you find her? If you go to encounter the enemy ships, however many there may be, the beacons may not last long enough for our return journey. They are a prototype developed along with the ship and have not been properly tested. We had that scheduled for today as well", he added.  
"Then we would to well to stick to our schedule, wouldn't we?"  
Again, Renati left Nareel defenceless; he hated it when she did that.

"Nadell, fire the scatted beacons. Aim for the coordinates the distress call was last picked up on. Maximum radius", Renati ordered.  
"But if the system falters, at maximum scatter they are more vulnera-"  
"Are you that confident in the craft of your worksmen that you have to worry about the beacons' functionality, Master Crafter?"  
Renati had had it with his snooty replies.  
She had no other option. It was either this or leave Akel to die. Calling for backup was out of the question as well as they could not reveal their position to the Warrior Caste. And a transport ship wouldn't do them any good right now...

"Fire", she ordered.  
Twenty scatter beacons fired away, burying themselves in the distance of hyperspace. When at a certain distance away from the Enan'Fi and each other, they launched another 20 smaller scatter beacons each.  
"Varas, receive incoming signals. Use our own power to augment if you have to. At least if we know where she is we can drift in the right current towards her"

A long, cold silence followed through the ship.  
They should have picked her up by now. What was taking them so long? Were they functioning correctly? Had the system faltered?  
Would Akel spend eternity in hyperspace because of a system failure?

"Life signs registered"  
"How many?", Renati almost yelled.  
"24 acknowledged life forms, 15 unacknowledged"  
"24? Akel doesn't carry a crew of 24", Nadell remarked.  
"You're right. Varas, what species are the acknowledged life forms?", Renati asked.  
"Acknowledged life forms are Minbari"  
Varas gave her friend a puzzled look. "Perhaps she wasn't by herself when they got assaulted", she concluded.

"Alright, let's go. Varas, do you think you can get us swept up in the power of the current? Just to save power, we do not know what else we will face when we get there", Renati asked and looked at Nareel. He did not like the Alyt's actions, but then again it was not his call.  
"Your wish Alyt...", Varas replied unsure and attempted the manoeuvre.

The ship gently sunk deeper into the hyperspace current it normally hovered over. The immense speed of it carried them much further much faster.  
"We have visual Varas, break off!", Renati ordered once she saw the Tredano. Crashed into it was a Drakh cruiser.  
"At least we don't have to go looking for the enemy", Varas commented in relief.

"It looks like they are trying to board the Sharlin cruiser", Nadell replied, analysing the data on his crystal display.  
"Board? They're inside already! But we'll return the favour", the Alyt spoke and left for the briefing room where ten more Anla'Shok were waiting for some action.

"As you have seen the Drakh have collided with our Sharlin cruiser. They are probably trying to board if they haven't done so already.

We will show them how boarding is done properly!

Varas will bring the ship around the back of the Drakh war cruiser and we will infiltrate from there. We will go from the back of the ship all the way to the front, killing anything in our path.

Leave no survivors, they would not grant us the pleasure neither. Remember these are beasts we are dealing with", she spoke in faint memory of something that had gone before.

"When we have freed Akel and the others, Varas will bring a ship to the back of the Tredano so that all fugitives can board.  
As soon as everyone is aboard we will get out of here and blast them back into the Darkness from whence they came!", she spoke victoriously.  
Her speech was met with respectful bows and meaningful looks.

Before leaving, she gave Varas her last set of orders: "Find a nearby ship to pick them up. We cannot risk any unwanted eyes seeing the ship.  
Amplify the distress call we received from the Tredano to make it look like she's sending it. Afterwards, get out of here"

"What if there's no one nearby?", Varas asked.  
"Minbari lives are more important than a secret, Varas"  
Renati's command stood indefatigable

* * *

The Anla'Shok boarded the ship from the rear as Renati had ordered. Renati herself, equipped in full battle gear, sped off the Enan'Fi into the war ship.

Not surprised, she noticed this ship was exactly the same as the other one she had been on.  
The same corridors, the same guard locations, the same doors or not-doors, everything was identical.

She succeeded with great ease in eliminating the guards blocking her path. Half of them hit the ground before they could register the thought of an intruder being on the ship.  
Renati sliced through them with great elegance. She enjoyed the feeling of their flesh on her knives and the satisfying warm blood running over her hands as she degutted them. Memories of what had gone before returned to her, but they did not worry her. On the contrary, they gave her confidence. She had done this before, she could do it again, especially with a legion of Anla'Shok guarding her back.

The Drakh got what they deserved, none would survive.

Renati reached the V-split that lead to the bridge in one direction, but instinct told her to follow the other direction, simply for the knowledge of what is there.  
She came into a long corridor, which headed downwards. The further she proceeded into the corridor, the thicker the air got. She could feel her breathing mask had troubles converting the air at times.

Then she heard it, a Minbari voice!

"I promise you, when they come for me I will make sure they don't touch you, but leave you for me to finish off. You'll wish you stayed on the forsaken rock you came from and never met the Minbari race!"

With great care she proceeded down the hallway. When she had almost reached the bottom, she noticed that there were some holding cells up ahead guarded by two Drakh soldiers.

She ran down the remaining bit of slope and leapt up just before it returned to normal levelling. She jumped in between both guards and opened her Denn'Bok.

It instantly pierced through the helmet of the right one, but to her surprise, the left one had the reflexes to dodge the attack.  
Renati landed on her feet and turned around, seeing her enemy readying himself for an attack.

She leapt back into the air, but this time stretched out her arms. The Drakh tried blocking her attack by shielding his face with one arm, however it came flying off along with his head as Renati slid through his neck with her arm guard blades, carrying a satisfactory grin on her face.

His motionless body sank to the floor next to her feet seconds later.  
Revenge. There is no sweeter.

The Anla'Shok turned her attention to the cells and was startled.  
_A Warrior!_  
In one of the holding cells sat a Minbari Warrior, a Shai Alyt. She walked up to the cell, which had the classical bars and locks.  
"Shai Alyt, are you alright?", she asked. She was more concerned with his safety than the secret of her ship. A Shai Alyt in captivity, it was unlikely the Drakh had pleasant plans for him.  
"Once I will be out of this cubicle I will be. Please, release us", he asked, not commanding. There was a Worker Caste in the adjacent cell.

She shot out the locks that kept them there.  
_How primitive_  
"Thank you Alyt ", the Worker bowed for her.  
"How did you get there", she wondered.  
"Long story, no time Anla'Shok. Do you have any weapons?", the Warrior queried.

Renati felt he was a little thrown off by the fact that she hadn't given him a chance to finish off the guards himself. She took off her arm guards and gave them one each.

The Worker looked puzzled at it and put it on upside down on the wrong arm.

"Give me that", the Shai Alyt spoke as he took it off his fellow Minbari's arm. To his surprise, the Warrior didn't put it on him correctly, but put it on his own other arm, leaving the Worker defenceless.  
"Just stay behind me and you'll be alright", he commented.

Renati smiled at this typical behaviour.  
"We must get to the bridge. From there on we can inform Akel Zen of the situation", she urged them.  
Both Minbari followed her back up the slope and to the bridge.

Just before, Renati signalled them to stop. All communication henceforth was in Minbari sign language.

"You take the right side, I'll go left", the Shai Alyt signalled to her as he saw Renati scanning the room.  
"The one who gets to the centre first, owes the other", he continued when their gaze met again. He saw her smile under her hood.  
"I hope your pockets run as deep as a Centauri's!", she signalled back and immediately signalled "Go!" afterwards.

Both Minbari advanced at incredible speed for the Worker to watch. The Warrior flew through the room with marvellous elegance.  
He opened up the Drakh soldiers as if they were tin cans to a hungry man. Several Drakh had felt his wrath until he came to a blockade of four, two in each line.

Without hesitation, he lunged forward with both arms and struck the first two in their stomachs. With notable strength, he pushed his blades forward, into the warm abdomen of the Drakh.  
Their blood dripped off his arms, soiling his uniform.

He did not have the time to worry, as the other two were rapidly approaching in an attempt to save their companions.  
The Shai Alyt could not remove his hands from the Drakh bodies in time to hit the others, so bent his wrists and fired 2 laser pulses through the first two, right onto the second two, sending them all into oblivion.

He ran past the scattered bodies and leapt up to finish off the last, centre, Drakh. Just as he was about to swing his arm at the Drakh's neck, it ducked.

Surprised, he spun around, landing on his feet in front of the creature. There Renati sat on her knees, her Denn'Bok piercing through his back.  
She had already dislocated his jaw and done other surgical modifications to him that actually fitted him better in Shai Alyt's opinion. He nodded respectfully at Renati who returned the nod with a smile and got up.

"We can head to the cruiser through that corridor", she pointed out.  
"Alright, let's save Akel", he replied, "Vareel! Follow us!"

The Worker did as he was told and ran along the right side of the bridge to meet up with them. There was just a tad less gore on that side…

The three Minbari ran through the corridor the the location where both ships had collided.

In the distance Renati noticed Akel, but this was not the calm Akel she knew. This was Akel Zen,Warrior of the Vonilbok, Anla'Shok for the people, Shai Alyt of the Tredano, fighting for her life.

Bodies were piled up next to her and she fought fiercely, but was greatly outnumbered and slowly tiring. Renati and her Shai Alyt companion rushed forward and leapt up, clearing a path by cutting through all Drakh limbs and heads that got in their way.

"There's a ship waiting near the docking bay for evacuation", Renati informed her mentor in Adrenato under her breath. Varas had confirmed the presence of a transport ship for aid though textual messages received by Renati's data pad.

"Excellent, I am the last. All the others are behind me. We should meet them if they haven't found it yet", Akel spoke as she defended herself from a killing blow of a Drakh soldier and ping-ponged him between herself and Renati until she spun her Denn'Bok with considerable strength, snapping his spine.  
"We must leave!", the Shai Alyt cried out as he shot some of them to create distance.

Renati lead the way back to the transport ship followed by Akel and Vareel, closed by the Shai Alyt, who shot everything in sight with absolute precision.

When they boarded, Akel was informed that all of her surviving crew was aboard the ship and that they were prepared to go.

Akel looked sadly at her ship that lay beyond saving. The Drakh cruiser had rammed it after Akel had disabled its weapons. The collision had been unavoidable, the damage irreparable.  
_They shall not have it_

"Go back to the Darkness from whence you came", she cursed and overrode the self destruct sequence of her ship. As the fireball in hyperspace grew, Akel looked away from the tragedy.

* * *

As expected, Renati ended up in sick bay, however this time merely for some patching up. Next to her lay the Shai Alyt, who had taken some heavy damage to his abdomen in the last fight together with Akel. He noticed her looking at him and turned over to see her.

"You fought bravely", he flattered her.  
"Unlike any Religious Caste I know. You're a little more… fierce shall we say?" he smiled.

Renati noticed his words carried none of the boasting she had grown accustomed to from Warriors. His smile appeared sincere and honest.  
"I am Anla'Shok', she replied, not sure what to say. She thanked the hela'mer for tending to her wounds and got off the sick bed. She went to stand next to the Warrior's bed, where he didn't have to strain so much to see her.  
"Renati, if you will", she completed her sentence.

"Well then, Renati of the Anla'Shok, I was lucky to have you as my sparring partner. You fought worthy of one of the Warrior Caste", he honoured her.  
"You seemed to be handling yourself pretty well on the bridge", she joked but appreciated his compliment more than she let out.  
He smiled again and explained: "I owe it to these blades of yours. They are of incredible marksmanship. They do not get stuck on anything or slice only half through. They do exactly what you expect them to do."

He stroke over the blue glowing edges of the blades, studying them carefully. The blades were slightly more curved than the standard issue. He wasn't sure if it was that or simply the satisfaction of feeling arm guards around his wrists again that had caused him to rage so intensely.  
Whatever it was it had saved his life. Mighty as they may be, those Drakh never stood a chance.

"May I be so blunt to ask you a question?", he spoke and watched Renati in anticipation.  
"Would you allow me to keep these blades?"

Renati was shocked by the question. Sure, he had done an excellent job with them, but she hadn't expected for him to actually ask her to keep the blades. She was somewhat reluctant to give them away. After all, they had been a gift of long.

When she was younger, before departing for the Earth-Minbari war, she had been given these armguards as a gift from a childhood friend's mother. She had crafted them herself and had added a blue shine atop the blades

"So that if you fall, even the Humans will see you are different"  
It was a gift she had cherished for a long time and had saved her life many a time.

However, the Shai Alyt seemed to appreciate their value. He had refused taking them off for his patching up.  
"There are no wounds beneath them", he had said.  
Then again, why would she keep them? If these tools aided this Warrior to be better at what he was, who was she to refuse?

"I would be honoured if you would wear them into battle, if of course I am allowed to know who I am giving the honour to. You know, for future favours and such", she joked.  
The male laughed heartily, then winced slightly, but after applying pressure on the wound on his stomach looked at her again.  
"You have had the pleasure of rescuing Shai Alyt Naroon ra Shaibar'nik of the battle cruiser Tiris", he stated his full title for the record.  
Renati frowned in delight and chuckled: "Well I presume that'll be some favour in return for your life... and my arm guards"

Naroon bowed as well as he could, hiding another wince from the wound on his abdomen. "Thank you, Renati of the Anla'Shok"


	14. Chapter 14: Dealing with the enemy

**Dealing with the enemy**

* * *

**Explanatory foreword for previous and following chapters**

Since we have gotten several questions about certain events described in the story, we thought it appropriate to clarify certain things.

Just to be sure we're all on the same page: the story takes place a couple of years _before_ completion and opening of the Babylon 5 station. The station you see being built in chapter 2 is B5. A large part of the story takes place before we even get to B5, but is important for the background of the characters and the vision on Minbari society we're trying to create.

Secondly: let me stress that there are _some_ things that we have 'changed' from the original story without explanation, the largest one of them being the timeline of when Human Anla'Shok are trained. This because we found it not realistic from our point of view that they would only start training them so late.

Third: there are probably choices we have made that will appear strange or discontinued with the original storyline. This could be the case (we're nonly human!), so if you suspect any discontinuity, please don't hesitate to contact us! But mostly, they are correct if you consider the _what ifs_. We have tried to fill up some blanks in the series in our own way. This because we had already made our own vision of what things would be like, before getting our hands on some of the books. We tried combining visions whereever we could, but still please remember this is a story containing several _what ifs_. Just keep your mind open to suggestions and enjoy the ride :D

Just to be sure this is cleared up, please consult the Drakh explanation (bottom of page) to understand as to why we have used the Drakh so early on in the story

I hope this has cleared up some obscurities! Once again: many thanks for reading, appreciating and especially commenting!!

* * *

**Chapter**

_Look at me.. on a transport ship. By Vitari, they should have me cast out!_, Akel condemned her situation. The last encounter with the Drakh had rendered her shipless.

_Seventeen years... blown to bits_, she cursed while looking outside the window of the transport ship. It was descending to Sorpigal, the current residence of the elders of her clan.  
She would confront them with the problem. The Drakh threat needed to be eliminated, there was no room for mercy. They had deprived her not only of the ship she held so dear, but several members of her crew had not survived the onslaught.

Kelshan, Orloon, Vidar...  
They did not make it.

She wondered what was worse: dying in battle with one's ship – like so many had – or having your ship destroyed, but live. At the moment, the latter appeared worse.

The Shai Alyt rested her head against the head piece of the seat she was sitting on. Across from her were two young Religious Caste females, scouring through a brochure of the Le'than temple.  
This university-temple on Sorpigal was one of the oldest universities, intact in its original architecture. The Sechs that taught there are usually of an age category so old, it is often joked that they too are original.

The colony world Soprigal was not without risk: it suffers from a thinner crust than average and a volatile molten core of heavy metals and liquid silicates. This causes for the planetary instability and tectonic activity to be much larger than on other Minbari colonies.  
However, the young Religious Castes seemed not bothered by the planet's natural threat. Their eyes were on the temple, the temple alone.

Akel did not envy the Religious Caste for there careless lives. She could have chosen a profession as guard as well, she could even have rejected the Anla'Shok legacy given to her, but had not. She had chosen the life of starfarer combined with the duties of information gatherer. She should not complain about the cares she had, at least she escaped the dull life she had always feared.

Akel's parents were not star farers, nor were they very _standard_ Warrior Caste material. They were Warriors, yes, but not all Warrior-born rejoice their fate.  
Akel's parents were the Warriors that preferred the quiet life. Pacifists would be stretching the matter, but they did not rejoice on active participation in battle.  
Her mother was a tactical advisor in the local academy and her father was a vehicle expert instructor – which means they both didn't venture off-world often.

She did not resent her parents for the life they lead, on the contrary, she was grateful they respected the choice their daughter had made. Or rather: had respected. Their souls had left the universe a couple of years ago. First her mother succumbed to Ick'los Sakarr, a rare blood disease causing the blood to literally thin down into water. Once beyond a certain stage, it is irreversible. Later her aged father passed beyond the veil as well.

Akel had mourned, but even though she was an only child, she has never felt alone. She could not escape the company of her _children_ Renati and Varas, but was mostly comforted by the company of Aeraan and, after the war, his younger sister Shadis.

Vonilbok to the bone, Shadis had requested service on the Tredano shortly after the Drala'Fi was destroyed.  
Sineval himself had approved the transfer, feeling for her pain. Even though he had turned bitter by then, the mighty Warrior was not without care.

Shadis was decades younger than her brother, but carried his fire within her. Akel had met her several times before the War, but had only really gotten to know her once she served on her ship.  
Her young age of 41 encouraged her popularity amongst the new recruits; they saw her as more of an older sister than a commanding officer. Like her brother, she knew when to be compassionate and when to be strict. A balance even Akel had troubles with on occasion, she had a tendency towards the latter.  
In the early years of service on the Tredano, she was quickly promoted to Hiai'sa(1) and was granted command of the Kilimano, one of the Tinashi class support vessels of the Tredano.

She did not spend as much time aboard the Tredano with Akel as before, but was one of the two eyes on the Shai Alyt's back.

_Irreplaceable_, Akel thought.

"We are now docking. Please prepare for to disembark", a male voice informed the travellers.

* * *

Two guards blocked the entrance to the elder residence, a little outside the capital Minano. The residence was no more than a shell: the elders were not present at all times, for often their presence was required elsewhere. However, there were fully equipped meeting rooms in which visitors could enjoy a meeting through holographic projections of each of them.

Today several elders were present, but Akel did not know, nor did she care. It mattered not if their flesh and blood was before her, what mattered was that their spirits would listen.

"Name, rank and purpose please", the right guard asked.  
"Akel Zen, Shai Alyt", she replied.  
"To what to we owe the honour of your presence, Shai Alyt?", the guard insisted.  
"I wish to speak with the elders", she replied.  
"May we inquire as to what?", he asked.

Akel's eyes widened – both shocked and angered that he dared ask. How inappropriate!  
Just as she was about to give him the vocal beating of a lifetime, his colleague intervened.  
"My apologies for my confrere, Shai Alyt. He will never learn that this is no place for humour"  
"That it is not", she replied, slightly thrown off.  
"We do not get many visitors, you're the first in a month. I had ordered him to be quiet before your arrival", he explained.  
"You ordered him to hold his tongue?", Akel asked surprised  
"Yes, if I do not do so, he doesn't stop talking – ever"  
"I do not!", the other guard protested.  
"Rathir!", the left one barked back, "You will be silent!"  
"You should let people speak their minds", Akel defended the recruit.

The other guard smiled wide. "Take him with you for a month and then we shall see if you still feel that way. Unless of course, you're not up to the challenge", the Galrin(2) taunted her.

"That will depend on my negotiations with the elders", Akel replied honestly and passed them by.

* * *

Akel walked into the great meeting room, only to find darkness.  
"Lights!", she ordered.  
A group of old males and females scurried uncomfortably in their place, one of them lowering his head with a sigh.  
"What is the meaning of this intrusion?", Shevath, the oldest, let out. "We were in the middle of-"  
"What? Sleep?", Akel retaliated. "You knew I was coming, you've known since the Tredano was destroyed I would come to see you"  
The elder wanted to reply, but was silenced by a gesture of the Clan leader.

"Shai Alyt Akel Zen, take your place. The council will hear your plead", his warm but to Akel cold voice sounded.  
She looked him in the eyes, but was struck by his appearance again, as she was every time they met.

Branmer. Shai Alyt Hat (3)Branmer, to be fully correct, though he loathed those who addressed him with his full title.  
Some say he has grown more Warrior since his transition from the Star Riders to the Vonilbok, others say the contrary. Of course, the others are the Religious Caste from which he originates.

Branmer too had followed a long, hard, path through life. A natural leader, he served his first – and most – years as a member of the Religious Caste, of the family of Mir. He was one of the main space combat tactics instructors at a Vonilbok academy, later swapped with one of the largest Fi'Sularae academies in the Federation.

Shortly after the start of the War with the Humans, his apprentice Neroon convinced him to turn Warrior, for the better of the people. It was a transition that came somewhat natural to him, as he was of double birth as well. His mother was Religious, but his father was a Fi'Sularae. Naturally, it is a well-kept secret amongst the Clan.

Branmer was one of the War Leaders that lead several ruthless assaults on Human bases. Although he disliked dispatching crippled ships or possible prisoners, he had to several times to sate the bloodlust of his crew.

When the Minbari surrendered after the battle of the line and Shai Alyt Hat Sineval took his own life on the bridge of the Trigati, a rupture appeared in the Wind Sword Clan. In concordance with the Satai, Branmer moved from the Fi'Sularae to the Vonilbok, in an attempt to keep the Clan from falling further apart. He successfully regrouped most of them and spent the most of his following years on restoring the honour of the fallen Clan.

The Vonilbok themselves are in denial the rupture ever existed and claim Branmer came to them because they were his chosen, outclassing the Star Riders. This of course does not fall well with the latter.  
Ever the diplomat, Branmer stays clear of questions on the matter and merely does what is required of him: to serve the people.

Regardless of his possibly unwanted position, Branmer has embraced the Vonilbok as if they were his Clan of birth. He has started plans for restoration of their culture by seeking out locations for a new home planet.  
The Vonilbok have been homeless since the last Shadow War, but the great leaders had always held them together. It has almost become normal for the clan to be scattered about the other planets.  
Branmer felt giving them a home planet would strengthen the brotherhood they have been missing since the betrayal – as he sees it – of Sineval.  
This is only one of many projects he is involved in, but the other elders happily pass on to him.

"Speak your mind", the War Leader commanded his subordinate.  
"Oh I will", Akel spoke under her breath.

Akel's plead lasted long, very long. She spoke uninterrupted for 26 minutes, with tone heights of variable intensity.  
The continuous attacks of Drakh ships on Sharlin cruisers had to be ended. It was unacceptable.

"Did you provoke any of the attacks?", Shevath asked.  
"Provoke? In my own space?!", she cried out. "No, Minsa'sher(4), I did not. The Drakh cowardly attacked my ship as they have many others. This time, they had the guts to come onto a Sharlin and take prisoners! What's next, Minbar itself?"  
"Calm down, Shai Alyt", Branmer's voice put her in her place.  
"We have to stop this", she replied – calmer. "Fully and _completely_"

Akel's intonation stressed '_completely'_ too much to Branmer's liking. He did not like the idea of a second mission for mass murder. There was probably no diplomatic way out of this, that much was clear, but he would limit the bloodshed as much as possible.

"And I need a new ship to do so", Akel added.

Shai Alyt Branmer's thundering laugh sunk the female Vonilbok through the ground.  
"To get blown up again?", he wondered while trying to hold further laughter.  
Akel shifted uncomfortably on her feet. There was no need to humiliate her, she was feeling ashamed enough as it is. Blasted Branmer and his morale...

"You will get your ship, but you will not venture into this adventure by yourself", he added, serious now.  
Akel looked at him, not understanding.  
"Did you expect for us to stand idly by in the dark?", he commented with a sting.

Akel suddenly realised her mistake. She yielded to his authority and apologised.  
He was right, she was out of place. Her rage had blinded her so, that she had expected hostility from her elders. She should have calmed down before coming before them, but then again, Branmer had not expected any different from a true Vonilbok.

"So the Warrior Caste will go to war once again", she spoke.  
"No, the Vonilbok will, not the Warrior Caste", Branmer insisted. His intentions were to scare off these Drakh by a powerful offensive, not to eradicate them.  
The political consequences alone of an all-out offensive of the Warrior Caste would be dreadful. He would never hear the end of it, plus it would only intensify the friction between Castes.

All-out war was not an option.

"But this goes beyond the needs of the Clan, Hat. They had taken Shaibar'nik as well as Worker Caste prisoners", Akel defended.  
"What the Shaibar'nik do with this attack, is their concern", Branmer replied.  
"Our concern is the destruction of one of our ships, for which the price will be high", Hatain added, glorifying the younger Shai Alyt's cry for battle.

"You are given two weeks for this live action training mission", he clarified how he would explain this to the Council. He could cover the massive move out of the Vonilbok forces for two weeks, but no longer. His excuse was valid, from a certain point of view. Any longer and it would turn into a lie.  
"But-"  
"Two weeks, no more. After that, you return to your duties", he ordered the Shai Alyt.  
"My duty is to protect the Minbari people. If I that means exterminating an entire species, then I will do so", Akel protested.  
"You have two weeks to do so", Branmer commented dryly.

Akel bit her tongue. There was no moving the mighty – again she accepted defeat.

"How long will it take for my ship?", she changed the subject.  
Branmer brought up a projection of a Sharlin cruiser, fresh from production.  
"You can pick it up at the spacing dock in Fendral. It's smaller than the Tredano, but makes up for that in manoeuvrability and speed. You may name it as you wish", Branmer granted his soldier the honour.  
"Mal'ier(5)", Akel spoke determined.

* * *

Request denied.

Naroon could not believe the words when they left Hat Tyraan's lips.  
"The Shaibar'nik guard home world. You ventured outside at your own risk", had been the verdict.

"Lured into a trap by a lesser species, surely you should have anticipated such an obvious trap?", Omnoor of the Shaibar'nik elder council had not spared him.  
"And to be rescued by a Religious Caste – or so I hear", Narashan, the youngest and most out-of-place in the elder council had added to his shame.

He would not insist. This was a battle Naroon acknowledged as lost. His clan would do nothing, but kept their eyes on him. Any personal actions now could have serious consequences for him and his crew.  
No, this was one battle he would have to let go.

Naroon was last on Akel's list to contact. She would not formally invite him to join – as she was forbidden by Branmer – but he mentioned nothing of inquiring. She just wanted to how much Shaibar'nik support there would be.

"So, what's your Clan doing?", she asked – leaving explanations behind.  
"Nothing…"

* * *

The night before the sail-out, it was a time of reconciliation on all ships. The way in which this was done, differed from ship to ship. Some would spend all of their time in seclusion, some would group together for a cleansing – there were many variations.

Akel held the tradition of bringing everyone from her support ships aboard and enjoy the night in the common room together. There they would converse, reminisce, listen to each others tales and so on. There was no general tone of happiness or sadness, the mood constantly changed throughout the evening, depending on the tales told.

In the time before their gathering, the Vonilbok had collectively chosen Minsa'Hat Sinel and Minsa'Hat Vitari, the founders of the Vonilbok as their guardian spirits. It is a part of the ritual, the rite of Tor'val'eth, which all Warriors perform before going to war.

The rite is a lengthy invocation naming the ancient leaders of the clans at the times of and before Valen. They pray for the guidance of both weapon and Warrior for the oncoming battle.  
Normally, the ritual is concluded with each military unit choosing a hero of their Clan, entreating them to the role of protector of that unit for the duration of the conflict.

It is said however that before the war with the Earthers, the Warrior Caste collectively asked Valen for guidance.  
Since this is such a Clan matter, the Clan united in prayer and made the appropriate choice of the Clan founders for guardians.

"Is it your first?", Shadis asked Rathir, the young guard sitting across from her. Akel had given him the chance to serve on her ship, and thus engaged in the challenge of teaching him oral manners. He appeared somewhat uncomfortable amidst the seasoned Warriors.  
"Yes…", he spoke uneasily.  
"Don't worry, you're in with a good crew. No one destroys the Tredano and gets away with it", Shadis ensured him.  
"Except maybe the Vorlon", a voice from the back joked.  
"Yes, but then again they would explain it and we would probably agree", Shadis smiled them into laughter.  
"You will be alright", Akel, sitting amongst the group, assured him.

"Perhaps you can inform the crew what you are good at?"  
"I'm good at talking", he explained.  
"Talking?", Shadis replied surprised, "I thought you were a guard"  
"That was punishment… for speaking my mind", he explained with a wry smile. Akel couldn't help a chuckle at the expression on his face, but gestured for him to continue.  
"I am good in negotiating, I speak many alien languages and I can usually get the other party to surrender… in simulations of course that is", he admitted.  
Shadis looked at her friend with a mischievous grin. "I am in need of a communications officer. Care to test your qualities in a real life situation?"  
"I would be honoured", Rathir bowed in appreciation.

"Tell us Rathis, what is it you want to do in life?", another Warrior from the circle queried. He was being tested for his worth tonight.  
"I want to serve the Minbari people to the best of my ability by applying my personal skills and knowledge", Rathir gave the textbook answer.

Chuckling away, Shadis managed a reply: "That's very nice Rathir, but I believe Nuvaat meant what is your personal vision on it, not what does the Clan expect from you"  
"Oh", he replied, slighty embarrassed. Rathir took a moment to think his answer through.

What did he want? Was there something specific he strived for?  
Yes, but that's probably what every Warrior aspires. He wanted to matter, to be remembered.

"There is something I desire, though I see it only possible through extreme measures", he admitted.  
The oldest of the Tredano – now Mal'ier – crew shook his head in protest.  
"Young one, there is no reason to seek glorification in death. There are many other ways to acquire grandness.  
I assure you, I have been face to face with the end several times, and every time I held on to the string of life. There is simply so much to do, in so little time", his experienced voice spoke.  
"Yes, of course I understand, in your situation", Rathir replied before he could halt his tongue.

Akel based her head in laughter. If there was one thing Jidari was picky about, it was his age. For the young one to insult him… they were in for a treat!  
However, the old male did not have the reaction Rathir had expected. There was no flurry of fists headed his way – at least not yet.  
He looked at his elder with shameful eyes, unsure of the appropriate apology.  
"So, you're a guard?", the old one replied, resulting in hilarity amongst the crew once again.

* * *

The conversations continued well into the night. More stories, experiences and adventures than Rathis had ever heard in his lifespan filled his ears that night.

Shadis too enjoyed the sense of ante-battle. The revitalisation of the spirit was very important for this social being, the Warrior. Warriors live their lives by emotions. They draw the energy needed for the incredible performances they accomplish by channelling them.  
On contrary to popular belief, it's not the negative feelings such as anger, hatred and despise that help a Warrior through the impossible, but positive emotions such as love, passion and brotherhood.

The touch of a finger stroking the inner side of her palm took Shadis away from the conversation Akel was having with Rathir and Nuvaat. When she turned around, she was welcomed by the crystal blue eyes of Ledaan. His mouth formed a smile as he gestured for her to come with him.  
Shadis hesitated initially, but a hand on her hips directed her elsewhere. She got up and left through the maze of Warriors still there, enjoying the night.

* * *

In his quarters, Shadis tugged Ledaan's wrist, pulling him towards her.  
"What took you so long?" , she complained before finally granting them with the releasing kiss they had been waiting for.  
"Kirz was talkative", he explained through her embrace.  
"Kirz is always talkative, because he knows your words before you speak them", she parodied on her fellow Warrior's telepathic ability.

It was rare for a Warrior with telepathic abilities to be accepted as one, but it happened nonetheless. Kirz' ability had manifested the day of his second crèche completion, hence the 'z' in his name. Before, Kirz went through life as most Minbari, with a single syllable name, Kir. At the end of their second crèche, Minbari are granted their second (and sometimes a third) syllable to symbolize their personal completion.

As his ability surfaced during the naming ceremony, his Sechs gave him the honour of the ancient tradition of the 'z' at the end of the name – indicating telepathic abilities – and thus accepted him into the Clan.

She did not expect a reply, so kissed his lips hungrily before giving him a chance. His sky blue eyes peered through the skin of his squinted eyelids at her dress. She was out of uniform again tonight, it was only the second time he had seen her like this.  
The dress she wore carried the dark Vonilbok black, with a bordeaux patterned ribbon curling the edges. The design was straight, however with enough extra fabric to accentuate the right parts.  
Ledaan loved the way it curved along her waist, so… inviting.

"They say telepaths have more fun", he teased, kissing Shadis' ear.  
"Do they now?", she replied and pulled away.  
"Perhaps you should look for another then", she taunted, "Or I should turn telepathic and read your mind"  
"You would not want to read my mind", he replied.  
"Why would I not?", Shadis wondered and placed her hands on his hips, holding him close.  
"You would find them… inappropriate", he spoke with pale lips.  
"Perhaps not Ledaan, but that depends on your level of commitment", she confronted him.

The Warrior was taken off guard. He did not know what reply would be appropriate.  
"My level of.. commitment?", he tried ignorance.  
Shadis rolled her eyes at his act, and took the lead.  
"Ledaan, Ma'Fela, how long has it been now?", she asked.  
"3 cycles, 4 moons and 17 suns", the intoxicated Warrior replied.  
"How much longer can you wait?", she prompted.  
"Shadis!", he was affronted.  
"I'm serious Ledaan. We have been together for long enough to know if we want to commit or not", she continued the confrontation, "I think we should…"

Ledaan was numb-struck. For more than three cycles he has been in love with this wonderful young female, but he did not expect to live beyond tomorrow. War was at the porch, all he needed to do was walk out the door.  
The only thing he had hoped for was one last night in her company, another night where it would be just the two of them – as it had been few times before.

But here she was, out of the blue, asking him to commit himself to her.  
"A Joining?", he stammered. Shadis could not read the emotion off his face, he kept it hidden. Was he rejoiced or disappointed?  
"Yes, Zha'felae(6)", she replied, "It would be fitting considering our time together and… urges"  
Ledaan smiled at her honesty. "So there was truth in your teases?"  
"Ledaan…."

* * *

Akel thought about _her_ two Warriors while cleansing herself ritually in the candlelight.

_Shadis and Ledaan… when will they finally give in to each other_?, she wondered.

Akel was happy for her 'sister', she deserved a good person like Ledaan; however they were going nowhere with tiptoeing around the issue the way they were.  
They should join and get it over with. At least it would spare the ship one sleeping quarters. She joked to herself.

It was only natural for Warriors of the same ships to fall in love with one another after several years of service. It was neither frowned upon nor encouraged, it simply was. The Warrior Caste had a very broad concept of love and relationships – and what is and what is not allowed. They have to, considering their position.

Akel too was classically open-minded, even more so than others – although not that many knew.  
The small chemical grains traced across her arms, but Akel did not enjoy their refreshing feeling as she normally did. Instead, she just sat there, staring at one of the candles.

_I miss you_, she mouthed but did not speak.

She hated times like these, where locked away emotions resurfaced. She did not blame Shadis nor Ledaan for triggering them, but cursed herself for letting her relive them.

Why did it have to be this way? Why did she have to…

"Oh Branmer, why!", she could not help but snicker it through instant tears. Tears which she hoped would wash the memories away.

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) Hiai'sa _(Vik)_: The highest rank of Toran, Hiai'sa oversee all level of ship systems, tactical stations and combat activities. An officer rank, the Hiai'sa is expected to provide leadership in battle, taking his orders directly from the Alyt of his ship or as the commander of his own heavy scout or smaller vessel.

(2) Galrin _(Vik)_: Essentially rankless warrior. Comparable to human soldier.

(3) Hat _(Vik)_: Leader. Term used to address a Clan leader. This is the abbreviated from, Minsa'Hat is the full.

(4) Minsa'Sher _(Adrenato)_: Clan elder. Can also be used in its abbreviated form, Sher.

(5) Mal'ier _(Adrenato)_: Literally 'brother', here meant as 'Brother of Tredano'

(6) Zha'felae _(Adrenato)_: A Joining; the Minbari equivalent of marriage

* * *

**Drakh explanation**

The Drakh were chosen on purpose because we always found it strange that the Drakh came after the Humans (mainly), but launched no massive strike on the Minbari.  
As you all know, the previous Shadow war was won by the Minbari and allies thanks to the Vorlon intervention with Valen, leaving the Drakh homeless and their masters defeated. They blame the Minbari, the only touchable enemy for this, thus we expect for them to keep a serious grudge.

In the series the Drakh launched a massive attack directed at the Humans (with the virus and all in Crusade), but none at the Minbari. We wondered why they wouldn't. After all, wouldn't you be ticked off if someone cost you your home planet and masters' rule?

We figured we would have to explain that somehow, so by introducing the plot as a Wind Sword only thing, we cleared that up without making it global knowledge for the Minbari.  
The next 2 chapters will cover the attack of the Wind Swords against the Drakh, making them think twice about attacking the Minbari. This also explains their future choice of the Humans for victim, as with the Interstellar Alliance, the Humans are the closest race to the Minbari with the whole J&D thing :-)  
(That as an addition to the reason explained in the series)

Because the Religous Caste kept the Drakh attack on the Enan'Fi fleet carrying Delenn a secret, the Wind Swords were never able to give their support as they did not know the event ever occurred.

In the far future, once the Drakh will reveal themselves to the public, the Wind Swords will pass through their knowledge throughout society discretely.


	15. Chapter 15: Search, maim, destroy!

**Search, maim, destroy!**

The Vonilbok fleet spent the first six days trying to locate the Drakh ships – a task much more difficult than initially anticipated.

"Report", Akel asked the scouting party that had just returned.  
"Nothing but fighters", Ledaan reported as squad leader, getting out of his Nial fighter.  
"Blast it! We were certain they were there! Are you sure?", Akel asked, but just got an angry look back from her soldier.  
"I do not doubt your eyesight Kor(1), but I fear we underestimate their cloaking technology. They're a smart species", she let out.  
"Nevertheless, an inferior one", the proud Vonilbok added.  
"Yes, of course", Akel agreed without question.

Again, no results. How would she present this to the others? This was not the place to think of new strategies and battle plans.  
"Dismissed Kor, I will convey with the others on our next steps"

* * *

The Shai Alyts leading the attack were troubled by the Drakh's ingenuity. Regular bait did not work on them, they saw right through the Minbari tactics.  
The main problem was that they were hunting each other. They were like two predators circling each other as if the other were prey, but never managing to nip the other's tail.

The fleet consisted out of the largest part of the Vonilbok space population, omitting the few Branmer had ordered to stay in the system.  
A fleet of Nial fighters, Neshatan gunships, Morshin carriers, Shargoti heavy battle cruisers and of course Sharlin war cruisers was on the move against the Drakh.

The assigned Vonilbok interim War Leader for this battle was Shai Alyt Liran, however he did not _rule_ the fleet by himself.

Every decision was taken in consultancy with the leaders of each division, but Liran had the final say. If there was anything he did not agree with, he could veto the motion.  
He was also the one responsible for the moral of the fleet. A good choice, as Liran – although well of age – was known for his outgoingness and sociable personality.

He was a Shai Alyt that familiarised himself with new recruits before they were allowed onboard one of his ships. If he does not like you, you simply don't get on.  
His rallying call was one that could unite clans that had been fighting for centuries into a common goal.

Zha'den Na Branmer had personally assigned him _Zha'Val_, as the Warriors called it. This was the temporary title a War Leader gives one of his officers for the duration of a battle. This indicates that the officer is acting in name and with trust of the War Leader.

Whenever a War Leader cannot actively participate in battle, a Zha'Val is selected.

Liran had been Branmer's favourite choice for quite some time now. At times the old Vonilbok got under his nails with his wretched ideas, but he could motivate like no other. Branmer would have liked to take this task on himself, but needed to keep the Religious Caste at bay.

Liran didn't mind the War Leader's reason for his selection, in fact he rather enjoyed it. That he was granted this honour regardless of his radical nature flattered him. The War Leader knew true talent when he saw it.

The meetings revealed Liran's tactical insight was second to many other Shai Alyts and even Alyts, however since he _always_ consulted others before making a strategy related decision, no one thought any less of him.  
We each have our qualities.

Even for the great minds of the Vonilbok's finest, this riddle was one very hard to solve.  
How did the Drakh manage to anticipate their moves? Why were they not falling for the bait?

If only they could gain a better insight into the enemy's mind...

But then, the Minbari got lucky.

The Mal'ier intercepted a transmission from one Drakh ship to another, however the spoken language of the Drakh was unknown to them.  
Akel took her responsibility and promised the other Shai Alyts this would give them a breakthrough.

_She better live up to the promise_, Akel thought when she dialled the coordinates of her friend Helenn of the Anla'Shok.  
"Helenn, good morning", she greeted her friend with a bow.  
"Shai Alyt Akel Zen, a pleasure", she greeted back respectfully.

"You have that look on your face, Shai Alyt"  
"I have something for you"  
"A challenge?"  
"Perhaps", Akel said and swirled over the crystal panels of her communicator in her quarters.

"There is a file coming through. It is a Drakh communiqué we have intercepted"  
"Oh, no challenge then", she said disappointed. "But anything I can help is an honour", the Religious Caste quickly added.  
"I would like for you to translate it, discreetly", the Shai Alyt spoke. "You are not to remember you saw this file"  
"Have peace of mind Shai Alyt, you will have it within the next hour"  
"Nusen'taal(2)"

* * *

Helenn sipped her freshly made tea with squinted eyes.  
"Bless Valen for the delights of life", she whispered, relishing the mixture of subtle tastes.

Helenn is any Anla'Shok's first destination regarding linguistics. Whether it was translating texts, interpreting the hidden nuances in certain known but still alien languages or assistance in the creation of diplomatic texts, Helenn serves all with pleasure.

In temple, she had taken up the path of a linguist, albeit combined with the path of the Anla'Shok. She had chosen the additional because the Anla'shok are more exposed to alien cultures than any other Minbari faction, hence this would increase her knowledge base.

Mother of three, she is one of the Anla'Shok that works from Tuzanor exclusively. Not merely out of personal interest, but also because it is practical.  
Tuzanor is not that far removed from the largest archive temple in Yedor. Since she consults the archives more often than she sees her own children, Tuzanor was a good choice.

This morning she was in her working quarters in the Anla'Shok main compound.  
She shared the space with two other Anla'Shok: Inseval, who was responsible for reviewing every report the Anla'Shok sent through – a full time job – and Hannier, another member of the Administrata Worker guild.

Inseval and Hannier were consulting with Anla'Shok Na at the moment, so she enjoyed the company of none other than herself.  
She opened the file the Shai Alyt had sent her, pen ready at hand. She did not even have her Drakh scrolls with her – confident the translation would be fluent.

Helenn's eyes widened when she heard her speakers tune up. There was something coming from it!

Voices?!  
Then it hit her, Akel had sent her no written transmission, but an audio file!

_A challenge after all_, she smiled content, yet kept in mind she might not make her deadline.

Helenn had never _heard_ Drakh. The only material she had, were the Drakh scriptures several Anla'Shok had submitted in their search for Za'Ha'Dum. The words she was hearing now, sounded nothing like she thought they would.

Helenn rushed to her scrolls to get her Drakh documentation. She had some serious work to do.

* * *

Six hours later, Akel got a communiqué back from Helenn.  
"My sincerest apologies Shai Alyt", she spoke, but before shecould continue Akel interrupted her.  
"A challenge after all then?", she said.  
"Yes Shai Alyt… I will send you the file now"  
"My gratitude for your efforts, Helenn", Akel commended.

Helenn's translations revealed more than Akel had feared. The Drakh knew the location of the Minbari ships in no less than 19 sectors.  
"That's almost the entire fleet!", Zha'Val Liran, also Shai Alyt of the _Videri_, spoke.

The Videri was the closest ship to the Mal'ier. Akel had called the interim War Leader aboard before unveiling the Drakh information to her crew.

"We must inform the others", he insisted.  
"We cannot do so. If they know the location of our ships, who knows what else they know? Perhaps they have a means to intercept our signals and understand us – as we do them", Akel stressed.  
"But-"  
"We have underestimated the enemy Zha'Val, but it is not too late. We can still correct our error", she said and walked over to the tactical display of the fleet.

"This is what they know", she said and lit up the corresponding parts of the fleet.  
"If you look closely, you'll see that their signal ends at a certain point. If we assume they are doing circular scans, we can limit the presence of their fleet – or whatever mechanism is identifying us – to these sectors", she explained and lit up the corresponding sectors.

"It is safe to assume, something is there. Something clever enough to pick up our coordinates", she added.  
"Something that must be destroyed", Shadis spoke.  
"Indeed… but how? I do not know. I am all out of ideas", she admitted, "They know everything, we are limited to communication with our closest ships… What can we do?"

Silence filled the room while the Minbari officers considered their options.

"Perhaps we should send a single ship on a scouting mission?", one of them suggested.  
"It will be destroyed before you can say Valen", Liran dismissed it.

It was Shadis who spoke up next: "What is our mission here?"  
"To eliminate as many Drakh as possible, making it clear that the Minbari are not to be trifled with", he replied.  
"Well then, let's take all our ships and just go for it. We have a target, we have a fleet. They would not expect such a massive attack, even if they saw us coming", she suggested.

Akel shifted uncomfortably on her feet. She looked at the tactical display for the consequences of such an action, but disapproved.  
"We do not know what lies in these sectors. Is it their fleet? Is it a major scanning beacon? Is it their main base of operations? We cannot fly into the nemy blinded, Shadis. We will end up being blown to bits", Akel commented.  
"Not necessarily", Shadis argued.

"The odds are in our disadvantage. I'd rather sit and wait for them to come, than risk the Clan in such an action", Akel rejected the suggestion.

Shadis was clever, but sometimes she had just that spark of courage too much, which allowed her to do reckless – and at times foolish – things. Akel did not fault her younger comrade, on the contrary, youth gave her inventiveness and age would teach her patience. She was only Hiai'sa after all.

"What if we use the new Neeker ship the Fi'Sularae came up with?", a suggestion came from another officer.  
"What do you mean?", Akel said, unfamiliar with the type.  
"It is an experimental ship type we got our hands on through a friend in the Fi'Sularae fleet.  
The ship, Shargoti class, generates a signal of a fleet of variable size, however it is only a single ship. It fools even our own scanners. Unless you have visual, there is no way of knowing the ship is a decoy", he explained.  
"And we have one of those?", Akel asked surprised.  
"Yes we do. I figured it would come in handy", Liran replied with a smirk.

Discussion made way for contemplation. The different options needed to be well considered against one another. Neither seemed entirely favourable, but all pros and contras needed to be run through.

"We could combine the efforts", Akel suggested, snapping the others out of their thoughtfulness.  
"Say we send a scouting party accompanied by a Sharlin to scower out the territory first. Then, depending on what we find, we launch an attack with the decoy in hyperspace. The rest of our fleet will notice the movement and will come to our aid.

However, when they are within visual, we will intercept and signal them the plan. This way we eliminate the risk of the Drakh intercepting communications.

We then continue on to the Drakh fleet, but send the decoy first. We have it signal us the last tactical display of their ships before it – will most likely – get blown to bits. That way, we can attack them from any angle we please, with acceptible odds"  
The miniature war council considered Akel's request for a moment, and then approved it.  
"Let us prove why we are Minbari!", Liran cried out for blood.

* * *

Akel took one Neshatan gunship and a Tinashi support vessel with her smaller Sharlin to form the heavily armed scouting party. They were mobile enough to get away quickly if things turned ugly, but adequately armed to eliminate small threats.

They flew through hyperspace, jumping in and out of normal space in the relevant sectors to scan for anything out of the ordinary.  
"So far nothing, Shai Alyt", Akel's navigations officer reported when they jumped back into hyperspace.  
"Let's continue to the next point then", she ordered.

As they set course for the next sector, a small explosion on the side of the ship startled the crew.  
"Identify threat!", Akel commanded.  
"No enemy ships detected, Shai Alyt", Nuvaat, the Kor at the scanners, reported.  
"What hit us then?", she wondered. "Damage report"  
"Minor hull damage, nothing the repair droids cannot handle"  
"Shadis, did you see what hit us?", she asked one of her support vessels.

"There's some debris floating around Shai Alyt. It looks like… it looks like a device of some sort, nothing hostile at first glance", the young Hiai'sa explained.  
"A beacon perhaps?", Akel wondered.  
"Could be, we are analysing the debris. Perhaps the computer can make sense of it", she responded.

"It appears to be some kind of beacon Shai Alyt, probably a locator beacon", Shadis reported back several moments later.  
"So they know we're coming"  
"Shall we turn back Shai Alyt?", Nuvaat asked.

Akel stared out into the orange mass that was hyperspace, searching for answer. If she retraced her steps, she would lead them to Liran and perhaps others.  
But if she continued onwards…

What if she did?  
These Drakh probably thought of the Minbari as an incompetent lesser species – they would not have attacked had they know the truth.  
Perhaps it was time to play out that role.

"No, follow current course", she ordered.

The Mal'ier ventured deeper into hyperspace, scanning another couple of sectors, but no result. At least they had narrowed the field down to 5 possible sectors.

"Shai Alyt, there's another one of those beacons", Shadis, who was flying further up ahead, reported. "Shall I destroy it?"  
"No, let them think we don't know about them yet. Fly into it", Akel instructed.

Somewhat further on, the Mal'ier picked up the signal of a Drakh ship. "It looks like a scouting vessel Shai Alyt. What do we do?", Nuvaat wondered.  
"Maintain current course", she ignored his remark. She was going to let it think they haven't noticed it yet.

When the Mal'ier flew by, the Drakh ship made the fatal mistake of panicking and flew off.  
"Follow it!", Akel ordered.

The Sharlin cruiser and its two support vessels followed the small flyer at a respectable distance, hopefully not within range of its scanners.  
"How can you be sure, Shai Alyt?", Nuvaat wondered.  
"I'm not"

When suddenly the Mal'ier picked up the signal of a larger, possibly mother, ship, Akel ordered the jump to regular space.  
"Make sure they notice we jumped", she ordered. Confused at his superior's plan, Nuvaat did what was asked of him without question.

Once in normal space, all ships were ordered to turn around and power up their weapons.  
"Do not fire until the order is given", she held her crew tight.  
"But Shai Alyt, we don't know how many are aboard the mother ship", Shadis protested.  
"There is only one mother ship, it will not matter", she corrected the young one.

Akel waited patiently for the Drakh war cruiser to follow them into normal space.  
"Drai A'lis(3)", she grinned when she heard the scanners pick up an energy spike.  
"Brace for impact!", she shouted when she saw the ship emerge from hyperspace, guns firing away.  
"Fire!"

The Mal'ier launched her burst together with the support vessels, concentrating the three beams on three different areas of the hull. The Sharlin's beam cut straight through the command centre of the war cruiser, while the other two took out one of its main guns.

The Mal'ier got hit by some stray enemy fire, but several subsequent bursts quickly took out the threat before they could even send out a distress call.

Victory!

"Damage report!", Akel urged.  
"We have lost firepower on one of the front neutron lasers, medium hull damage on the flight deck, but reparable given time", Nuvaat reported.  
"We do not have time Nuvaat. Send some workers down there immediately. We're going to scout the rest of the sectors now that they're no longer watching"

* * *

"More debris", Akel sighed as they entered the fourth of five sectors left to scour through. She was getting worried they had missed something in one of the other sectors.

Or worse: perhaps the Drakh ship _did_ send a distress call.  
_No, we would have picked it up_, she reassured herself.

"Nothing on the scanners Shai Alyt", Nuvaat denoted.  
"Alright, on to the next one then", she spoke annoyed.  
"Wait, Shai Alyt, may I send a scouting party?", Shadis asked.  
"There is nothing but rubble and rock here, Shadis", Akel replied.  
"Not as such, Shai Alyt. This rubble is special, my mother used to tell me about this place", she spoke, "These are the remnants of an ancient battleground. A fight between two superpowers ended badly for both parties here.

I do not remember the names of the races, but they were both equally mighty and power hungry. In their quest for galactic domination, they ended up facing each other in a massive face off.  
One would not yield for the other, and so they eradicated each other. As there was no one left who cared to pick up the debris, it's been here ever since.

It's a popular spot for raiders and Brakiri, who pick off the pieces of ancient technology left on some of the parts"  
"An ancient cemetery", Akel commented grimly. "We should pay our repects", she added and based her head, her hands in a triangle in front of the chest. The others followed her example without order, waiting for the moment of grief to pass.

"May I send out two fighters, just to be sure?", Shadis asked her commander for approval.  
"Permission granted"

If there was old technology out there, there was a chance some of it was still active. Perhaps even disrupting their scanners without knowing.  
Akel had grown very paranoid in a short time span, she anticipated the worst.

The two pilots flew their Nial fighters between the debris with excellent precision. Not as natural as the Ahaelden(4), but lethal nonetheless.  
The Vonilbok did not need to yield the palm to the other clans in space. Though most of them preferred hand-to-hand combat, the Kor took pride in perfecting their wide array of skills.

At the end of the debris field lay a breathtaking sight: a massive saucer-like ship indicated the potential of the race. The hull had been picked clean of its plating and several parts of the ship had been completely debunked.  
Three gigantic circular holes told the tale of this giant's demise.

"It's magnificent", one of them gasped in awe. The radiance of the nearby nebula gave the ship a light green hue, somewhat bone-chilling. It was truly the beauty of decay, the testimony of disaster that lay here.  
"I can't believe I've never heard of this place", the other said, equally entranced.

They took their Nial fighters closely across the ship's remainder of what was once hull, and used one of the damage holes to pass to the other side. Admiration took over the two Warriors as they admired the sight.

Suddenly, a dozen small fighter class ships emerged out of no where.  
"Ce'fa Bar?", one of them blanched.  
"Retreat!", Akel bellowed through their speakers as she noticed an energy spike.

There was no time to wait. It was the choice between two or dozens.  
"Jump!", she ordered the ship, hoping the two fighters would catch up in the slipstream of the jump point.

The two Nial fighters rushed out of the debris field at top speed, chased by several small Drakh fighters.  
"Faster!", Shadis screamed through her speakers, hoping they would make it.  
"Shadis, jump!", Akel order her Hiai'sa.

Just as the Sharlin had built up the energy to form the jump point, they saw a part of the saucer's hull unbolting. A panel moved to reveal a cannon of a type the Shai Alyt had never seen before.

The cannon opened fire, sending an enormous beam of energy their way. The ray glowed bright yellow and a had diameter as large as a Tishat medium fighter.

Akel closed the jump point, just as the massive beam passed them by.  
The range of that thing! It outranged the Mal'ier by at least by five times! What in Valen's name were they up against?

The Nials did not make the jump.

* * *

'We have lost two, but we know the location of our objective. We will move using the decoy. Follow and wait for further instructions', the Videri's navigational officer signalled to the fleet at Liran's bidding.

He had initiated the hyperspace decoy attack, simulating a fleet much larger than normal.  
As expected, the rest of the Vonilbok had rushed to their aid as soon as they noticed the action. It was only upon arrival they noticed the ingenuity of their colleagues' plan.

All communication in hyperspace proceeded with crystal light signalling, in order to avoid interception of the signals by the Drakh.

The fleet was ready now, it was time for the final standoff.

The experimental Neeker ship was sent up ahead, with the fleet following stealthily from a distance.  
"Open jump point and let it go", Liran commanded his second.  
He remotely controlled the ghost Shargoti leave hyperspace and hoped for the best. The controls of the ship were now out of reach, but the precise location Akel had passed through should be good enough for the ship to follow. Everything else would happen as was programmed in its main computer.

The Drakh prepared for the massive fleet headed their way. Instead of launching fighters, they powered up their main gun and fired full force at the incoming threat.

But they missed!

The Neeker generated a projection of the fleet's main ship well next to it, which had been the target of the Drakh gun.  
When they realised the fleet was intact, there was chaos amongst the enemy. Fighters launched in search for visual confirmation of what had happened.

The cruiser did as it was supposed to do: it logged their position and sent a heightened signal through to the fleet waiting in hyperspace.  
"They have four additional battle cruisers", Liran reported to the rest of the fleet.  
"The gun fired again, but we do not know how long it takes to recharge. We will measure from the moment the ship is destroyed. Be on your guard!"

Then it came: the signal of destruction.  
The fleet massively jumped into normal space, surrounding the enemy on one flank in an arch.

"Stay clear of the cannon and attack!", Liran gave the final order before the mass battle commenced.  
The Sharlins launched their flyers, the gunships provided supporting fire and the flyers engaged the enemy fighters. Beams of green and light blue lit up the scene. The fighters had to conquer both enemy and debris field to stay alive, but the enemy was cunning – very cunning.

They constantly tried pushing the Sharlins towards the main gun. The battle cruisers positioned themselves so, that at a certain point there was no other choice but to fly in front of it to get to the other side.  
One of them was taken out quickly by a joint assault of some of the Sharlins, but the other three were a real pest to the Minbari.

"Energy spike! It recharged!", Akel alerted her friends that flew by the opening.  
The core of the gun lit up before erupting in another massive beam, headed to the other side of the galaxy.  
The ship had just fired its forward thrusters, but still got hit. The large part of the two bottom stabiliser fins had been blasted off.

"It's recharging! Now's our chance!", Akel cried out.  
"Chance for what? We're not doing any damage!", one of the Shai Alyts complained.  
"Circle the hull and fire at random locations. They must have a weak spot!", Liran advised.

"Ledaan watch out! There's a Drakh on your tail", Shadis shouted through the speakers of her Ma'Fela(5)'s comm. link.  
The squadron leader performed some evasive manoeuvres, but the Drakh pilots were persistence.  
"Any assistance would be appreciated!", he stressed his wingman while taking out a fighter that was endangering a fellow pilot in front of him.  
"On it, Kor", the reply came followed by another set of flames in the sky.

Two of the battle cruisers was dealing heavy damage to the Videri. The Sharlin was nimble and spry, but not enough to escape the continuous fire of two heavy Drakh guns.  
"Zha'Val, retreat! You're going to get yourself killed!", one of his fellow Shai Alyts advised him.  
"No, we are keeping them away from the assault on the main cannon. Take it out as quickly as you can! We'll hold out", he replied, dodging a deadly beam.  
"Get us out of their scanner range, they can target us!", he encouraged his crew.

The Mal'ier climbed the length of the ancient ship wreck's hull, blasting off the small hordes of flyers headed its way.  
"We need supporting fire", Akel ordered her flyer squadron to stay close by. She could concentrate on the medium and large vessels, but smaller ships were no concern for a Sharlin cruiser. Nevertheless, it did not needlessly be damaged – the Nials would keep the enemy at bay.

Several Sharlins followed Akel's example, but to no avail. The picked clean hull appeared impenetrable.  
"This is impossible, there must be something", Akel despaired.  
"Energy spike! We're too close to the beam Shai Alyt, we'll be caught in it!", Nuvaat stressed.  
With a snap decision, Akel gave a strange order: "Fire into it"  
"Fire into it Shai Alyt?"  
"Yes, its power source must be somewhere. Perhaps if we hit it in the core, it will be destroyed", she explained quickly.  
"Fire!"

The Mal'ier guns fired at the beam directed at them. The green rays passed through the yellow one, straight to the core. The beam pattern suddenly became irregular and changed direction. With a slicing move, the beam jested to the left, cutting through a large part of the fleet's left flank until dying out.

Explosions followed, however not from the enemy ship. Many Sharlins, Tinashi, Shargoti and flyers were crippled, but most were gone. Those who were crippled were left with little hope to survive the next charge.

But then, something typically Minbari happened.  
Several intact vessels, flew in front of the damaged ships, obstructing the enemy's shot. The wave of flyers coming to finish the job was intercepted by fresh flyers from the Erato en Kinshava, two relatively undamaged Shargoti class ships.

Minbari protected their wounded and honoured their fallen. Simultaneous with the launch of the Nial fighters, several tracking beams were launched in order to salvage what was left of their friends.

Akel witnessed the toeing of the few ships left from afar.  
"NO!", she cried out.  
"Shai Alyt, we have to do something! If they fire again, there won't be any of us left", Nuvaat snapped his superior out of her trance of sorrow.  
"You're right…", she said, somewhat dazed still.

These foul creatures had just taken away so many friends, comrades, colleagues… with a single shot. These beasts that preyed on technology of others…  
They need to be eradicated. None should be left alive. There will be no prisoners, there will be no mercy.

"All ships, fire at the core!", she ordered the fleet when the cannon opened again.

"Ra'vta!(6)", she spoke darkly.  
With Akel's words came the response of all ships still battle ready. A web of green rays bundled on top of the core, overloading the energy capacity.  
"Retreat!", Liran shouted through the comm. link, when one of the two battle cruisers shot off his forward battery.

The Minbari gathered what was left of their fleet rapidly and sped away as fast as they could. Some Drakh flyers followed through the jump points, but the remaining two battle cruisers were killed in the blast.

Once in hyperspace there was a lot of confusion. The battle had proceeded a lot less structured than the Minbari were used to. So many had been lost, but who were the many? Who had survived and who had perished? The battle had been too chaotic for anyone to accurately tell.

They made use of their time in hyperspace to regroup. Liran called a gathering of all fleet ranked officers on the Videri. Anyone from Hiai'sa and up needed to be present for the debriefing.

Akel checked on her pilots before leaving for the meeting.  
"What's our status", she asked Ledaan.  
"11 lost, 2 missing", the Kor replied.

11. Possibly 13, gone.  
It was a unpropitious end mark when considering the Mal'ier carries 28 pilots .  
"Nusen'taal", she replied with as little emotion as possible before disembarking for the Videri.

* * *

"Their fighters went straight for ours, but thanks to some marvellous shooting of our Tinashi gunships, we managed to avoid several critical assaults.  
The chaotic nature of the battle was due to the constant interference of the mother ships. We suspect they have – or used someone else's – technology that crossed with our communication systems, as we have heard several cases of incomplete communication or undelivered messages", Liran was already five minutes into his enunciation of the battle, but Akel could not focus.

_Where in Valen's name was she? _

Shadis was never late. If she could not make a meeting, she excused herself well before time. Perhaps she was helping the hela'mers tending to the wounded. She would often make sure every last one of her crew was treated before leaving the ship for any type of debriefing.

The officers had gathered on the large tactical bridge of the Shargoti heavy battle cruiser. No one had had a chance to go through cleansing. They needed to wait for the final debriefing before they could tend to their wounds, both physical as well as mental.

Liran himself had a cut on his otherwise handsome face. Apparently one of the Drakh flyers had crashed into them in an act of desperation. It was quite the talk of the crew, the workers were still figuring out a way to get the ship out of the bridge without destabilising the environment. The Videri woud most probably need to be grounded for safe removal of the enemy's remnants.

Surprisingly enough, the pilot had jettisoned himself through the window of his shuttle and survived, wreaking havoc on the bridge moments later.  
It was Liran's second that had finished him off, but not before the foul creature had besmeared the beloved commander's face.

The fleet was in worse condition than Liran's face. Contradicting their predictions, casualty ratings were much higher and not all structural damage had even been measured yet.  
The _surviving_ ships were toeing the crippled ones back to Minbari space, caring for the survivors of their sisters.

"Zha'Val, we are being hailed", a projection from the bridge interrupted the meeting.  
"By whom?", Liran replied.  
"Shaibar'nik vessel Siseau. They want to know if they can assist", the Kor that had taken the place of the second-in-command reported.

Liran held his answer for a while. Shaibar'nik help meant they were in safe territory again, but still a long way from Sorpigal – where the ships needed to be repaired. They could sure use the manpower, but could they risk revealing their mission to a rivalling clan?  
Minsa'Hat Tyraan, leader of the Moon Shields, would definitely blow things out of proportion simply for being denied the choice of joining.  
Of course, Lidan did not know one of Tyraan's own had suggested a similar action against the Drakh.

"We're getting another transmission, Zha'Val", the Kor interrupted once again, "It's taking over our signal and replying to the Siseau!"  
"Show us!", Liran commanded.

The fleet witnessed Shai Alyt Hat Branmer from the command position of his Vonilbok ship, the Suv'Zeni.  
"Shaibar'nik assistance is appreciated but will not be needed. Please come aboard for further instructions", he passed over the Warrior's proposition.  
Branmer would ensure this _mission_ would stay within the clan after having a talk with the Shaibar'nik ship.

At this notion Liran wrapped up the debriefing, leaving the Warriors to tend to their wounds and crew.  
Akel intercepted Tsudi, Hiai'sa of the other support vessel of the Mal'ier.

"Where's Shadis? She's never late, is she still on the Kilimano?", Akel wondered.  
Tsudi swallowed briefly, looking at her colleague next to her for confirmation.  
"You haven't heard?", she spoke, uncertain.  
"Heard what?", Akel replied in denial.  
"Akel, the Kilimano was in the tail of the explosion. Eighty percent of the crew was taken out… We thought you knew", Tsudi replied, ignoring the Shai Alyt's rank.  
"But… Shadis?", Akel did not want to accept the truth.  
"She died giving the order of retreat Akel… I'm sorry", Tsudi admitted, knowing what the young officer meant to Akel.

The Shai Alyt stood perplexed, unspoken.

The battle had been so chaotic, so confusing, she had never noticed she was gone. Akel had always been confident in her _friend_'s abilities. She had never doubted her survival. Not even when Nuvaat had told her he couldn't locate the Kilimano, she thought it was just another result of the system's jamming of the Drakh's use of technology beyond their comprehension.

She clenched one of her fists and returned to the vessel that had taken her aboard the Videri. Once inside, she crumbled.

Tears mourned the loss of the last of her 'family', the last connection to Aeraan, to the life she yearned to get back.

Mission complete, but at what price?

**Footnotes**

(1) Kor _(Vik)_: The Kor are elite crewmen without officer status and provide a rank to promotion available to Galrin who excel in the performance of their duties. Kor are cross trained on many different ship's systems – a rarity in the Minbari military – and can usually adopt any role required on any vessel in the fleet.

(2) Nusen'taal _(Adrenato)_: Thank you (formal)

(3) Drai A'lis (_Vik)_: Come and get me (Vir short for Adrenato Durah ai'Me'lis )

(4) Ahaelden _(Adrenato, Vik, Lenn'A)_: Fire Wings. Another one of the Warrior Clans. Renown for their exceptional piloting skills. They were the first to venture into the skies for war, continuing this tradition by their service as elite fighter pilots. They are massively opposed any artificial intelligence helping a pilot, as they believe that without a Warrior a Nial fighter is still an empty shell.

(5) Ma'Fela _(Adenato)_: Literally Male lover. Can also be used in the sense of fiancée.

(6) Ra'vta _(Vik)_: No mercy

**Next chapter will be 'The Drazi Adventure'. Stay tuned!**


	16. Chapter 16: The Drazi adventure

**The Drazi adventure**

Akel had informed her Anla'Shok the Drakh threat had been eliminated. She had not been specific, she never was, but she assured them they would think twice before attacking the Minbari again.

She had also visited the Nine together with Anla'Shok Na, pressing the matter of the Enemy's return. They had asked for assistance from the Warrior Caste, but their request was denied. The order was to keep Minbar safe, anything beyond that was not of their concern.

Varas found it hard to believe the Nine would issue such an order, but then again she had been perplexed by several of their decisions before.  
It vexed her how they kept denying the return of the Ancient Enemy. Even Lennon himself seemed unable to convince them, his advisor being a Satai nonetheless.

Sometimes the situation seemed so hopeless, Varas didn't know where they got the courage and willpower to continue.

Did that matter?

If you fight for a cause, does it matter where you get the energy from? As long as you fight for the cause, nothing else is of any importance, is it?

Varas leaned her head backward to stretch her neck, but bumped her head bone against the compartment's wall earlier than expected.  
"Ouch", she muttered.  
The Narn next to her looked puzzled, but gave it no further thought when she did not return the attention. Instead, Varas sunk further into her cloak and wondered if Renati was having a more pleasant trip.

In light of the session with the council, Anla'Shok Na had decided it was time to speed up the process of finding more information regarding the Enemy's movement.  
Several Anla'Shok had been dispatched to search for more information on them, their positioning, their allies and this dreaded _Zha'Ha'Dum_.

"If you can, look for possible future allies. We will need them when the time comes"  
Anla'Shok Na's words were a surprise to many.

The Minbari people needing support to fight a war? Surely, he was kidding?

There probably wasn't a servant to be found in Tuzanor; everyone was scouting the universe. Anla'Shok Na had ensured his eyes were everywhere.

Everyone aside from Akel.  
She had been put in charge of the mass production of the Enan'Fi class ship, now that the prototype had proven its worth. In high secrecy of course, for the rest of the Warrior Caste would not rejoice on Akel's endeavours.

Zha'Ha'Dum.

Was it as dreading as it sounded?

* * *

Drazi Prime.

Renati had never been there before. What would it be like?

Would the people be welcoming, hostile or neutral?  
Would she enjoy the atmosphere? The food? The general going about of Drazi lives?

Although she could not answer the questions in her mind, excitement sparkled in her underbelly. She loved travelling to a new and unexplored planet. Those were the greatest experiences, the best part of being Anla'Shok.

She pitied the others sometimes. Especially the Warriors who were stuck on their space ships all the time. How did they manage?

"Incoming call", a computerised voice informed her.  
"Oh, right. Put him through", Renati said and stood in front of the projection.  
"A Minbàri!", a typical Centauri voice exclaimed while taking a sip of what Renati considered to be an alcoholic drink.  
"What do you want with me? Why does a Minbàri call for a Centauri? A general, nonetheless", he asked.  
"You do not remember me General?", she queried.

The man looked at her for a second, spent a moment in thought and then widened his eyes.  
"Yes! Yes! You must be the _informant_ of that Minbàri General that helped me solve that… Narn situation", he replied, stressing his 'r' in Narn.

"Indeed. My apologies, you Minbàri all look the same.  
Now what can I do for you, or you for me?", he spoke.

"I was hoping you would do something for me", Renati said. The general looked at her in suspicion.  
"Do not worry General, it will not cost you anything, merely some of your time I should think", she clarified.  
"Time is money", he used a typically Human proverb.

"But go on", he said and sipped some more of his glass.  
"As the Centauri are currently at war with the Narn, it is difficult for other species to receive information about what is going on in Centauri space.  
Our ships are not exactly overly welcomed and as the Warrior Caste is not particularly looking for a fight, they avoid that part of space if possible.  
However, we do take interest in all cases that go on about the universe. We are after all Minbari, information has always been our strength", she explained.  
"Yes that is true, it would be a pity if we could no longer rely on the Minbari for accurate, be it often on a need-to-know basis, information", he joked.  
"Then you see our problem. I wanted to ask you to keep an eye out there for me.", she asked.

"My dear Minbàri friend, there is a lot going on in Centauri space at the moment. Anything specific you are interested in? As a matter of keeping my efforts to a minimal, to be efficient eh", he said reluctantly.

"I would like for you to focus on unusual activities. Things such as first contact situations, disappearances, strange behaviour of people, those kinds of events", she said.  
"Of course, only a Minbari would be interested in the mysteries of life! Tell me now, what do I get out of it?", he tried to bargain with her.

"An exchange of information seems most appropriate in this case. I will give you some information you need and you will give me mine in return.  
I will however not supply locations of Narn camps or anything that you can use to your advantage in the Centauri's quest of Narn elimination", she warned him.  
"That information we are well capable of discovering ourselves. We're very … _efficient_ at that", he spoke.

"Personally I am more interested in the mysteries of life myself, but then the mysteries happening in the sides of the galaxies I do not have an eye on", he said. A little surprised at his response, Renati agreed.

"Excellent, then we have an agreement. I will set it in motion tomorrow and will come to you with what information I have when I have it. As for now, good day my valuable Minbàri friend!"

At that notion the general switched off the communication.

* * *

Renati took a commercial transport down to the planet, under cover as any regular Anla'Shok would.

The first thing she noticed was the temperature. It was well above Minbari average, on the edge of being uncomfortable for her.  
Everything was red and dusty, not the kind of place she was greatly fond of. But it would do – for now.

Finding a decent place to sleep, now there was a challenge. The Drazi weren't a very tourist oriented people, so hotels were not easy to find and when she did find some, they were terribly overpriced. Credits may not matter for Minbari, nevertheless the Anla'Shok's funds were limited.

In the end, Valen smiled upon Renati and she found a little guest house which she believed would be fitting for her needs.

Behind the counter sat the an ld, corpulent Drazi. Snoring away, he didn't notice his guest entering the room.  
"Excuse me", Renati tried in her best Drazi. He didn't budge.  
"Excuse me!", she tried again and hit her first on the table to startle him.

The Drazi woke up, almost losing balance on his chair and looked startled at his new guest.  
"Could I possibly get a room?", Renati asked, trying her newly learned Drazi.

Renati did not realised she had just insulted the man – probably something about his mother – causing him to lunged forward at her. He grabbed her by her cloak, but Renati dodged his blow and jumped backwards, readying herself for a fight.  
Another, much younger, Drazi cam from behind the corner coming to the aid of his boss.

"What's this all about?", he said in Drazi, looking at the scene.  
Renati repeated what she had said and angered the other Drazi as well. However, before striking her, he stopped and looked at her. Suddenly he laughed and repeated what she had said, but with proper word order.  
"Common?", he asked.  
"Perhaps common would be better until I get your pronunciation correct", she answered.

The young Drazi calmed down the old one behind the counter and explained the situation as a matter of accent. The older Drazi snarled something incomprehensible, but Renati figured wasn't very nice.  
He got off his large behind and disappeared in the back room.

"My apologies, grandpa not very patient and not forgiving for accents. I handle tourists better. You need a room?", he asked.  
"Yes, for a week or two to start with, I don't know how long I will be staying here yet", she said.  
"Good good, you are here on business?", he asked.  
"Yes, I am a historian and I have come to learn about your race", Renati spoke a half-truth and respectfully removed her hood.  
"Minbari!", the Drazi boy exclaimed, "A real one!"  
"Erhm- yes I am real-", Renati said but before she could finish she was grabbed by the waist and a bright light blinded her eyes.  
"Argh!! What was that for?", she yelped and looked at the Drazi, who was back behind the counter smiling.  
"Personal collection!", he said and showed her a picture of himself with a Narn, a Centauri, a Human and some other species.  
"Did not have Minbari yet!"

Perkily he guided the dazed Minbari up the stairs to her room. It was a small room with a bed a table and two chairs, with view on the street. A small balcony would fit her morning meditation needs.  
"If you need anything, just call!", the Drazi boy said.

She thanked the boy and put her affairs on the floor next to the bed. The bed unfortunately was a Drazi bed, which was a big bulk of wood stuck to the floor. Renati used one of the legs of the chair to lift the bed off the ground, but it broke under the weight of the bed.

_Grand… _

She tried using her Denn'Bok, which lifted the bed but she couldn't get it to stand up straight.  
_Let's just ask the boy_

* * *

The little Drazi squeaked at the sight of what she had done.  
"Don't worry, I will pay for the damages", she ensured him.  
"A Minbari bed is not flat, it is in a 45 degree angle… like this", she said as she motioned with her hand.  
"I need for the bed to be like that or I cannot sleep", she explained.

The boy considered the situation and disappeared down the stairs. She heard him rattle about and minutes later saw him return with some tools.  
After a little over twenty minutes of pottering about, the boy had transformed the bed to Renati's needs as good as possible.

"We shall rent this room only to Minbari from now on", he said proud of himself learning about alien customs.  
"Thank you uhm..."  
"Tubar", he replied joyfully  
"Thank you Tubar. May I bother you for one last thing?", she asked the little boy.  
"I would like to have something to eat. Could you help me? I need vegetables or fruit only. No meat…"

She looked at the boy and saw he didn't entirely understand.  
"Only things that sprout from the ground. Nothing that has legs and can walk around, or swim or fly", she tried again.  
The boy nodded and sped off into the streets.

Half an hour later he returned with some local foods he showed Renati and a small furnace.  
The first thing he presented was a large green leaf, which appeared rather safe. She tore off a piece and held it under her scanner.  
'Analysis complete. Substance safe for consumption', the text on her scanner's display read.  
"That one's good", she said.

Next was some kind of purple fruit which looked terribly oversized. The scanner concluded that raw it was toxic, but cooked it would be fine.  
"This one: only cooked", she explained to the boy.  
Next, was a large, meat like element lying in front of her. Renati could tell on sight that that was going to be a no go, but scanned it nonetheless. Her data pad confirmed her instincts and turned up negative.  
"Unfortunately that one's toxic", she explained.

Then he had one last thing for her, which he had put in the cooker when he arrived.  
It resembled some kind of oversized rice.

"This need to eat with sauce, I made myself!", he said as he poured the sauce over some of the rice.  
Renati scanned the dish with and without sauce, both returned positive. When she tasted it, to her surprise it was actually very nice. The gentle variety of subtle tastes was very pleasing to her.  
"Mmmm! Very good!", she said and saw the boy light up.

Renati eased her stomach with some of the nice foods before meditation.  
The sun set very early in this place she noticed, leaving a very long night ahead of her.

* * *

The next morning, Renati was up with the rise of the sun, only to notice that it hadn't risen yet.  
The view into the streets from her balcony showed that everything was absolutely dead. Not even a mouse on the street.  
She took this opportunity to meditate for another couple of hours, but even after that saw no Drazi in the streets and no sun in the sky.

When do these people start their day?

"Alright, let's just explore somewhat", she said to no one in particular.

The Drazi capital had very structurally built streets, easy for military troops to invade or stronghold a city when needed.

Noticeable was the lack of places of information, libraries etcetera. There were many –now still empty – stalls, the Drazi equivalent of a bar, and a lot of what she though to be sports recreational centres, but nothing of high educational value.  
Very little schools as well, as far as she could tell.

As Renati passed through one of the back streets, she was knocked over by a Drazi, running for her life.  
The frightened woman looked at the Anla'Shok and put a data crystal and a scroll in her hand. Renati didn't understand what the woman groaned, but from the blood dripping from her abdomen she figured she wouldn't have much of a chance of questioning her later.

Footsteps rapidly approached the area she was in.  
_Nothing I can do for you now, I'm sorry_

The Anla'Shok moved out of sight, making good use of the darkness to cover her presence.  
Five Drazi approached the dead body, satisfied with her death.  
One of them murmured something incomprehensible, hopefully unimportant. They picked up the body and left in the opposite direction, leaving Renati undiscovered.

The Anla'Shok returned to the guest house and investigated the scroll and data crystal.

_Grand... _  
The scroll was written in a Drazi dialect she wasn't familiar with.  
_Helenn will know it_, she thought and scanned the document carefully. She would send it whenever she had the chance to hook up to a link.

The data crystal proved more useful. It contained files on several Drazi individuals, written in standard Drazi.  
All of them were listed as scientists from biochemists to industrial engineers. The larger part of them had some relation to biology, both alien and native.  
At the bottom of each page there was a data number and a total number of record, however several records were missing.

When Renati took a look at the detailed profiles of the female scientists, she recognised one as the woman who had died.

If it were a male Drazi that had been slaughtered in the street, she wouldn't have given it a second thought.  
The Drazi males serve the purpose of ensuring reproduction and appearing as decoy for the alien worlds, to give the impression all Drazi are stupid.

Due to a genetic deviation, the males were not that clever, but the females were just as cunning as the Narn. Some would argue Drazi women are smarter than Narn, but of course the Narn would never hear of it.

They purposely send out their males to meet the alien races in order to keep a low profile. If they are not considered a threat, they are less likely to be attacked.  
In the mean time, the females can peacefully continue their work which involves research, manufacturing and more.

It is due to their work that the Drazi have such up-to-date weapons. The Anla'Shok have been well aware of the Drazi's 'deception' since their first encounter with the race on a native planet, but do not widely spread that information for their own reasons.  
This is why Renati felt more alarmed than if a male would be dead, for males die of meaningless quarrels, but females...

She had probably touched the surface of an ocean deep scheme, but what of?

* * *

"I seek your guidance", she asked Tubar, who could barely see over the high counter.  
"I would like to learn more about your world. Can you tell me where the great places are I can visit: historical sights, libraries, places of knowledge", she said.  
"Well library is closed, but we have library at school. School is tomorrow, tomorrow I take you to school. Today, we go to see great place and I teach you about Drazi people", the little boy said excited.

Keeping his promise, Tubar spent the rest of the morning showing Renati around most of the streets she had already seen, but this time got the proper explanation.  
She learned about the Drazi food, their sports, their social habits, everything she asked the little boy explained to the best of his abilities.  
Renati had kept her hood on when walking through the streets as she didn't like the constant gazes.

When the sun reached its highest point, Renati asked Tubar where this great place they were going to see was.  
"Great place?", he asked puzzled.  
"Yes, the one you said we would visit today?", she replied.  
"Oh! Great Place!", the boy exclaimed.  
Clearly he had already forgotten, what an odd boy.

"Great place 2 hours from here, we travel with transport", he said and took Renati to the edge of the city. All major transports outwards were located there.  
Renati and Tubar boarded one of the civilian public transport ships, which flew off and took them to the Great Place the child talked about.  
The experience on the transport itself was as the Anla'Shok had expected: scruffy.

* * *

The location appeared to be an excavation site of ruins.  
"This is Great Place. We found this place not long ago, but lady over there does better explaining than I do", Tubar said and pointed towards what Renati figured to be a tour guide.

The Drazi woman greeted her in Drazi, Centauri, Narn, Brakiri, Balosian, Common and a very bad Adrenato. Renati replied in Common and asked if it was possible to get more information on the site.

"A hundred years ago now, when we were preparing to build large structure for games, we discovered these ruins.  
We now know they are of the civilisation that came before us Drazi. We don't know much about them, only that they were building a temple in honour of Droshalla.  
Because we share the same belief, we believe other race was perhaps earlier, undeveloped version of Drazi race", the guide explained.

She took Renati around the site and told her of the structure of the building, of what they thought it looked like in full and of the objects they had found.

"Are the objects you found on display as well?", Renati queried.  
"Yes yes, at the end of the tour", she explained taking Renati further through the programme.

It was apparently very large at the base, but time had taken away the assumed top. The shape resembled a pyramid, but with a pentagram base. The materials used to construct the building were all native. From what Renati could tell, the woman's assumption of a temple of worship appeared correct, though she doubted it was for the same deity they honoured.

After the guide had said all she had to say, she brought Renati to the building which housed the objects the Drazi had excavated.  
Several objects, possibly weapons and dinner wear laid amidst some books.

The Anla'Shok walked over to the books and paged through them slowly. Something incomprehensible, drawing of possible original structure of the temple, more items she didn't understand...

One book stood out by its decorations and thickness. As she flipped through the pages, she recognised the dialect as the same as from the excerpt Helenn had translated.  
A bit of searching brought up the page where the text she knew came from.  
It was all there, the full text.

Renati couldn't read much of it, but from what she could derive, she concluded this other race had also battled the Darkness and held the Drazi as slaves.  
Some misinterpretation of power they had going there..

The guide noticed that Renati's unusual interest in the book and asked if she could be of assistance.  
"Actually yes, are there any copies of the text in this book available?", she replied.  
"Yes, there are, why?", the woman asked puzzled.  
"I am a historian and want to learn more about your people. This text would greatly aid me", she explained.  
"We have not yet translated the text ourselves, it would not be of much help to you", the woman said.  
"Perhaps, but it never fails to try. My patience and that of my colleagues is vast and endless. I am sure we could come up with some way of comprehending the book", she insisted.  
It took a little more argumentation, but Renati managed to get a digital copy of the book's scanned text.

A _digital_ copy of an ancient scripture…

* * *

Back in the city Tubar had returned to the hotel, but Renati was set on visiting the Centauri embassy she had seen earlier.

The local ambassador greeted her with great extravagance as only a Centauri truly could. He asked her all the formalities until they came to business.

"Would it be possible to use your long distance communicator for an instant?", she queried.  
"Of course", the ambassador replied.

She was guided to a secluded room where a comm. link stood, but would not function without insertion of a credit card of some sort.  
She asked for one of the guards to make it work, but he told her she needed credits.

"But I do not carry any Centauri dukats", she tried in vain.  
Eventually the guard lost his patience and called in the local.  
"Ah yes.. Minbàri...", he scoffed and walked up to the machine. He inserted a credit chip and gestured for her to use the machine.  
"But not too long eh?"

Renati immediately called Anla'Shok Na and told him of what she had stumbled upon. She sent him the copy of the book she had recieved and asked him for guidance.  
"Investigate with care, but continue", he advised.

"Say, where are you calling from Renati?", he asked.  
"I am calling from the local Centauri embassy", she said, "And I have a credit problem"  
Lennon laughed: "Centauri! They would make you pay for looking at the sun! Don't worry, I know the ambassador there. I will have a word with him and make him a little more…hospitable shall we say?"  
Renati smiled and thanked her master for his efforts and cut communications, short as the Centauri much obliged.  
Minbar was a _long _way from Drazi Prime.

About 15 minutes later, Renati left the room and was greeted again, by a this time friendlier ambassador.

"May I be of further service to you, my dear Minbàri friend?  
If there is anything you need, food, shelter even credits, just let me know! And of course, the embassy will take on the cost of your last call. A slight error in communications I am afraid", he apologised.

She had never seen a Centauri apologise and offer money to the same person. Lennon must really carry this one in his pocket!

* * *

Several days later, Tubar informed her that the yearly seminar for scientists would be held that evening, so that for scientific knowledge, she should go there. It would be held in the conference hall of the games arena, centre of town.

A gathering of scientists? The plot thickens...

Later that morning, the Anla'Shok ventured downtown.  
The arena was large and unfortunately very well guarded. Infiltration was practically impossible.  
Drazi guards stood near every entrance, corner and opening. If there is one thing the Drazi were good at, it's guarding things.

_I guess I'll have to go about this the Religious way then…_ she thought and headed over to the Centauri embassy.

"Lady Renati, how may we be of service", the Centauri greeted her.  
"I am in need of your communicator again. I need to get an invitation for tonight's science event.", she explained.  
"Please, go ahead", he guided her to the room in question.

Renati made her inquiry to Anla'Shok Na, who promised she would have all papers by tonight.  
"Have you by any chance had the pleasure of tasting some of that oversized rice they make with that splendid sauce?", he asked her.  
"Yes, I have actually"  
"Wonderful! Could you bring me back some of that?", he asked. She smiled and nodded before cutting communications.

* * *

As expected, Anla'Shok Na lived up to his promise. When Renati came to pick up the papers she found they were complete, insignias and all. Clad in a typical Religious Caste dress, she surprised the Centauri ambassador.

He suggested they attend the event together, as a joined experience. If the event was important enough for a Minbari to attend, the Centauri had to be present as well of course.  
Imagine the loss if they would miss out on it.

Renati and the Centauri known as Luc entered the large hallway together and were let through by the Drazi male in charge of the reception. They took a place next to each other in the back centre of the crowd and readied themselves for an evening of events.  
The room was pretty packed, aside from the last two rows. They were pretty much by themselves. Perhaps it was protocol with Drazi to sit at front?

It was an eventful evening indeed.  
Five legendary – to their people –Drazi inventors, all females, came to present technology that both the Minbari and Centauri had already perfected, or they presented appliances that were utterly useless.  
One presentation tended to be more interesting than the next. The more prototypes, the more interesting it got. Luc was especially amused by the live failing products of some of the inventors.  
It doesn't matter if it serves a purpose or not, if it does not work on your presentation, how do you expect to sell it?

Renati awoke from her slumber when one of the speakers that was on herlist came forward. She introduced herself as the lead scientist of the most revolutionary project in Drazi history.

What that project was exactly, was a mystery to the two aliens. There was a lot of background information and technical talk, but then, the scientist finally revealed the product: a biological weapon against their neighbouring race the Balosians.

The weapon could easily be spread amongst the population as it was tasteless, at least for the Balosians, and it a slow killer. They could slowly infect the population with it for years, increasing the dosage bit by bit, they would never even notice.  
Approximate time until complete eradication of the Balosian race: 3 to 5 years.

Once the poison reached a certain level of control in the body, the process is irreversible. However, adding more of it into the food rations would speed up the process, which was needed for the Drazi's will to expand.

The latter part of the night the effects would be demonstrated live, but now it was time for a short pause.

The technology was hailed by much cheering and stomping of feet of the entire Drazi population present in the room.

All but two attendees were exalted over this event.

Slowly but surely, some of the Drazi noticed their mistake and saw the Centauri and Minbari sitting in the crowd. They had been overlooked in the heisa regarding the wondrous invention. But how had they gotten in there in the first place?

Some of the women cursed the male guard. Renati figured his penance would not be a pleasant one, but currently she had other things to worry about.

All heads turned to the two aliens. A column of guards made their way downwards from the top balconies, ready to capture the 'intruders'.

The crowd sat in shock, the intellect of the Drazi republic baffled at their own oversight.

The Anla'Shok counted the number of Drazi headed their way.  
Twenty-four. That's a bit much, even for a Minbari and a Centauri. On top of that, Luc wasn't armed, she noticed.  
This didn't look good..

"We have to get out of here", she whispered as the horde approached.  
"I don't suppose you Minbàri have any special powers to get us out of here in one piece?", he tried with some humour.  
"Nopes, all out of ideas", she admitted.

The diplomat sighed, but then hinted for Renati to follow him. Ignoring the guards rushing onto them, he took them in the opposite edirection, to one of the females.

Using diplomacy as only a Centauri could, Luc talked their way out of this suddenly hostile environment and sped back to the embassy. Renati was still baffled about how he did it. Not only were his arguments perfect, but his tone, his voice, his body-language... all worked in perfect unison to both intimidate and flatter the female.

Only a true Centauri nobleman could do so.

"Lady Renati, you must get out of here, this situation will turn very ugly very quickly. Is there something we can do?", he asked her once back at the embassy, still processing what they had just discovered.  
"Just the use of your comm. link will be fine", she said. Renati called Anla'Shok Na once again and explained him the situation.  
"I will need a transport out of here. I can arrange my own transport off the planet, but once I'm up in space I'll be a sitting duck", she said.  
"I will call for the ship to assist you in your escape. Whatever you do, you must get off the planet by tonight, do not give them the chance to let this escalate", he advised her.

"Luc, do you have a transport ship that can take me into orbit? I fear I may not be safe otherwise", Renati asked the ambassador.  
"Of course, my lady. Please follow me quickly"

Half an hour later, Renati left the planet safely. Once in orbit, her heart froze anew when she saw the Sharlin Cruiser now waiting for her in orbit of the planet.

Whatever Shai Alyt may command it, she was sure the Warrior would be _thrilled_ to be recalled off duty for the rescuing of an Anla'Shok.

"Nusen'taal Anla'Shok Na", she spoke involuntarily

* * *

**Next chapter will be 'A friendly face'. Stay tuned!**


	17. Chapter 17: A friendly face

**A friendly face**

_My sincerest apologies for your inconvenience, but my utmost gratitude for my safeguarding, Shai Alyt_, Renati practiced an appropriate apology in her mind.

A Sharlin cruiser.  
Was this Anla'Shok Na's idea of a practical joke? Seriously there must have been another transport, convoy or any other influence nearby?  
But no, a Sharlin. Packed with Warriors of course. Warriors who despise the Anla'Shok by nature...

Renati couldn't be generalising any more. Of course all Warriors felt that way because her Religious upbringing had taught her so. Never mind common sense.  
She entirely left out the possibility of a warm welcome and prepared for another week of hell.

Yes they are all Minbari, but the last thing you want to be as _Religious Caste – _Anla'Shok on top of that – is stuck on a ship with nothing but Warriors. If their stares didn't demoralise you, their peer pressure would.

No, this was not good. Renati felt as if she had jumped from one bottomless pit into another.  
If only Varas were here...

Her heart beat in her throat as she set foot on the firm floor of the Sharlin's docking bay. In front of her awaited a full honour guard of two...  
_Well at least I got a welcome_, she figured and walked over to them.

"My sincerest apologies for your inconvenience, but my utmost gratitude for my safeguarding, ...ehm Alyt", she rephrased her well-practiced apology.  
"The Shai Alyt conveys his regards. We will be entering hyperspace again shortly and continue our journey. You would do well to return to your quarters", the stiff female Alyt spoke.  
"Of course", Renati replied and bowed respectfully.  
"May I ask, what is to become of me?", she affronted the Warrior.  
The Alyt had to hold back a grimace, but replied nonetheless: "We will drop you off in the Gaim system when we arrive there, as instructed by _your_ Anla'Shok Na"

With that notion, the Alyt walked away leaving her subordinate to take care of Renati.

* * *

A hungry Renati appeared in the Warrior mess hall. In all the commotion, she had gone to bed without having eaten the day before – an event not uncommon for any Anla'Shok.  
Her stomach growled in delight as it smelled the scent of familiar food. Perhaps the menu would have some Flarn on it if she was lucky.  
Not that it mattered, any Minbari food would be just fine. No more alien scraps.

Some Warriors looked up at the Anla'Shok entering the room, but most of them continued about their business.  
Meals amongst Warriors were filled with speech and entertainment, quite different from what she was used to. Though Anla'Shok table manners differed from strict Religious Caste's, she was not used to _this_ _much_ commotion during meals. However strangely so, she found it amusing.

She took place at one of the triangular tables that had three places left, the other two soon filled on either side of her. One of the younger Warriors across the table poked the one next to him, gesturing towards Renati.  
The older one spoke: "Looks like we have the honour to welcome a guest amongst our midst. Care to introduce yourself, Anla'Shok?"

His tone was neither threatening nor welcoming, thus Renati took no offence. "Renati, pleased to meet you"  
"Kujar, please allow the pleasure to be ours", he teased her, followed by a sniffle from the younger one next to him.  
"What brings you so far into the Drazi system?", another asked.  
"Information as always, to Anla'Shok Na's bidding", she replied.  
"Well he's really got you running around for him", another joked.  
"Vreni, show some respect", Kujar corrected him. Renati noticed the slight difference in rank inscribed on their uniforms.  
"What I meant was you put much trust in your superior going to the Drazi home world for information", Vreni corrected himself.  
"The last thing I would rely on a Drazi giving me is information", he motioned the whole table into laughter.

Renati was surprised to see she was well-received. The crew peeled her skin for information and stories of course, but neither of them treated her with the disdain or respectlessness she had expected for them to.

It didn't matter if the Shai Alyt himself hadn't found her important enough to greet her in person, she was well liked by his men.  
Perhaps her stay wouldn't be as disastrous as she had feared.

A couple of tables away, four eyes tracked her movement – constantly. Both did so without realising from one another they were gazing at her, keeping her under sharp surveillance. Her mingling with the crew satisfied one, but distressed the other.  
The Anla'Shok was not so welcome after all.

* * *

A soft tingling sound of crystal informed Renati she had a visitor.  
"Enter", she spoke and put down her book.  
A Warrior who looked familiar entered the room. She stood up to greet him, but only recognised him when she got closer.  
"Shai Alyt Naroon of the Tiris?", she queried involuntarily.  
"Indeed, Renati of the Anla'Shok. I am pleased to see your memory serves you well", he replied and bowed respectfully.  
"My apologies, I did not recognise you in a clean uniform", she joked.  
"Point taken", he accepted.  
"What a coincidence we should meet again. Are you passing through as well?", Renati asked, missing the point.  
"Yes, up to the Gaim system", he replied and sat down in the sofa as she gestured for him to. She walked off into the next room in search for a drink.

"Oh you're going to the Gaim system as well?", Renati spoke a little louder from the kitchen.  
Naroon rolled his eyes at her naivité, but was amused.  
"Yes, Renati", he replied when she returned with two glasses of water. She hastily took a sip of hers, as if it had been a while since her last beverage.  
"And after we have dropped you off there, I will go wherever duty takes me", he explained further.

Renati looked puzzled for another instant, but then realised her mistake. Her lips turned pale into the Minbari equivalent of a blush.  
"Oh dear, I'm on the Tiris, aren't I?", a shameful reply followed. Naroon closed his eyes and nodded with a smile.  
"My apologies Shai Alyt, if I had known I would surely have presented myself. But with your sending of the Alyt, I figured the Shai Alyt of the ship was not Anla'Shok friendly and I should just lay low", she overly explained her actions.

Naroon was amused at her humility.  
"Do not worry yourself over formality. I did intend to greet my guest later on, but when I realised in the mess hall that I knew my guest, it was only appropriate to speed up the process of re-acquaintance", he spoke.  
"Nusen'taal Shai Alyt", she replied.

"How have you been these last months?", she wondered politely.  
"Well, thankfully", his reply came rather dry.  
"No getting captured by alien species?", she teased.  
"Not gotten enough action in our last encounter you come to pick a fight with the Drazi?", he shot back.  
"Alright alright, you have me. I yield", she said. Clearly the Shai Alyt not only had the muscle but also the tongue for battle.

Renati ventured to safer grounds by explaining what she had been doing on the Drazi home world. The Shai Alyt appeared interested and shared his concern in the matter.

Their informal chat closed with a feeling of welcoming for Renati, who was free to do as she wished until they arrived in the Gaim system.  
Of course, she would never be a prisoner on a Minbari ship, but it felt good to hear the Shai Alyt say it.  
Relief came quickly for this Anla'Shok, who ploofed down in her bed to dream away another eventful day.

* * *

In the middle of the night, Renati's armguard shouted out a distress call.

"Re..ti! H..lp! ...Narn, ... cap...ed me! I am... information... must come... how long before... need you... 'ha'Dum..."

"Varas!", Renati jumped up just before the communication link died.


	18. C 18: Devastating powers of the mind

**Devastating powers of the mind**

"Tell us your mission!", the Narn captain demanded as he slapped Varas across the face.  
She looked up, blood dripping from her nose, but did not speak.  
"Tell us what you are doing here or we will have your bone!", he yelled, but this time kneed her in the stomach.

Varas jerked forward, coughing up some slime, but swallowed her pain soon afterwards.  
"I told you, I am a Minbari emissary sent to your world to check on the situation", she insisted.  
"She lies!", a Drazi voice spoke from the corner. "She is a spy! One of the Minbari spies sent to convey your information to the Centauri! We Drazi have seen this before, do not trust the Minbari!"  
"Well, what can you say to argue with that, emissary?", the captain threatened.

Varas was out of options. She was chained to the wall, exhausted and had no idea if her distress call had reached Renati or not.  
It had been four days since she sent it, still no word. Perhaps it never got through.

She should never have been in this situation in the first place. For once, it was her own overconfidence that had gotten her in trouble, not Renati's.  
She would never hear the end of it if she ever got to tell her tale to her friend.

She had travelled down to the planet incognito, hidden from the public under her cape. On dusty Narn, this wasn't a rare practice.  
Her search for Za'ha'Dum had lead her to one of the old libraries that housed the original scriptures of G'Quan, one of the Narn's most important prophets. Her break-in to the facility had been most successful, the retrieval of information as well. It was at the escape that things started to go wrong.

From being startled by an unexpected animal to falling through one of the decorated glass windows – one storey down – Varas' adventure took a turn for the worse.  
Soon she was tailed by police and what not, until one clever tinker cornered her and knocked her senseless.

The next thing she knew, she was in this scruffy, dusty cave – for all she could tell it was a cave – being questioned over and over again by several Narn officers. They had now resorted to military forces, which indicated the escalation of the situation.

Why the Drazi creature had joined in was another mystery. The Narn could throw well enough punches of their own, they had no need for Drazi muscle.

With any luck, the Minbari government would find out before they had a chance to finish her off, but she didn't count on it.  
If Renati hadn't found her yet, chances were grim anyone else would.

Her head felt woozy as another blow came, this time from the Drazi. "Admit to him your guilt!", he bellowed.

Varas looked up at the gazy door in the back of the room that suddenly opened

* * *

_Several hours earlier:_

When night had fallen, Renati had suggested to her companions that they investigate the mysterious door in the square. It was probably where the perputrators had disappeared into after the alledged sandstorm.  
They crept out of the local bar they had been sheltering at and moved towards it.

There appeared to be no mechanism near to open it.One of the two Warriors sent by Naroon to accompany Renati, signalled for the others to step back and hit it with his blade.

A loud crack sounded through the empty market place.  
"As I thought, wooden doors", he commented as he retracted his hand and sword, and opened the door.

Renati and Kujar passed through the hole while Moran closed the opening he had made. They walked through the long corridor that lead downwards in what they soon identified as the catacombs of the Narn people.

They were infamous for their intricate web of tunnels connecting and interconnecting. No Narn had ever taken on the task of mapping the entire system, so even to them some parts were illusive.

Corridors split up into corridors, which split up into more corridors and pathways, which themselves split up again until either they came to a dead end or lead to a new path.  
Not only was the place a complete maze, but it was rigged with traps. For the Thenta Makur these catacombs were the perfect hiding place because of their structure, nevertheless they could not risk the occasional _visitor_ slipping through and discovering their secrets.

The first couple of trap were child's play, but the deeper they ventured, the more professional the traps became.  
Renati had taken the lead but was too busy skimming through the sandy floor for hidden traps that she didn't notice the scanner to her right. In the blink of an eye she was grabbed by the shoulder by Moran.  
"Don't move", he said and moved his hands to the wall to the left of her. There he removed a brick and took out a circular device.  
He balanced it carefully, not to trigger the explosion. Renati watched in horror as his fingers played with the click-system the device had.

The click bomb was a favoured weapon of the Narn. Its hull was too thick to be taken apart to cut the wires like with a Human bomb, but in order for the owner to be able to reconfigure it, it comes with a click system. It was a scaled down version of a Centauri original.

In theory only the one who armed the bomb, and thus knows the code, can defuse it, but in practice anyone with excellent hearing – or a special device – could.  
The buttons gave away a slightly different sound when one pushes the button halfway, indicating right or wrong, because of the movement of the mechanism. It's a crude tool, but most of the times it works.

Moran did have superior hearing – superior to the Narn anyway, as every Minbari had – but he still needed to concentrate on his moves.

Click.  
Click.  
Cl- rotate – click.  
Pok.

"Got it"  
Moran appeared as if no nerve had struck him, completely oblivious to stress. He put the disarmed weapon in his backpack, for future use.  
"Nusen'taal", Renati said, nerve-struck.

Eventually, the three managed to make their way through and found a hatch atop of them. Kujar opened it silently and peered out for what lay above.  
Apparently they had travelled quite some miles out of the city and were in the middle of an open field.  
When he looked around he noticed something was off. The line of one of the hills didn't match the others, the colour varied in a central spot, but it was easily missed. Kujar believed that most Narn eyes would never see the difference.  
He signalled for his companions to join him but lay low.

When Renati was on the surface, she too noticed the irregularity in the mountains. She moved her hands across the ground consisting of a light grey sand. In order to blend in better with the sand, she took off her cloak and put it under her grey robe.  
Pushing herself down as far as she could, she followed the others in the forward direction.

The desert patch was all but hospitable. Every now and then the Warriors froze, because the sand moved next to them.  
They were not alone.

Out of no where, a small serpent like beast leapt up, aiming for Moran's arm. With a quick reflex, the Warrior flicked open his arm guard blades, skewering the animal on it.  
"What is that?", Kujar looked disgusted.  
"Our local welcome", Renati informed them, "Desert eels, they call them. They swim in the sand like eels in water and attack anything going through their territory"  
"Are they poisonous?", Moran wondered, peeling the creature off the sharp crystal spikes.  
"Not intentionally"  
"Not intentionally? Since when to Anla'Shok sound like one of the Nine? Speak plainly Renati", Kujar complained.  
"What I mean is that they carry no poison as such, but when they sink their teeth in someone's skin, they release some extra saliva that coagulates to harden their grip. We have had an Anla'Shok returned from Narn with a wound like that. It's terribly infectious as we're apparently allergic to a substance in it", she gave them the full speech.

Moran now used only two fingers instead of his whole hand to reduce the chance of getting stung by any of the spikes on the creature's body. Not that they were poisonous, but better safe than sorry.  
"Don't worry, our hela'mers have an antidote for it now. It shouldn't be more than a minor infection that troubles you. Unless of course, you wait too long with the treatment", the Anla'Shok tried reassuring the Warriors, but achieved the opposite.

"Let's move on", Kujar insisted when noticing a nearby patch of sand on the move again.  
The others followed his example and thus the three crept their way to the mountains.

* * *

The mountains held a hidden entrance relatively easy to find for anyone looking for it. Trap-rigged of course, but then again they hadn't expected any differently.

After getting in the secret compound, they found themselves in another long corridor. Unsure which way to go, Renati scouted the floor for signs of movement.

Three pairs of footsteps, two similar, one clearly different indicated they were possibly on the right track.  
The Minbari followed it through different corridors, until all of a sudden it stopped. There were a lot of footsteps scrambled and lost in the sand. In the end, the two pairs had each gone their own way and the third pair was nowhere to be found.

"Great, how can we be sure we have been following the right set of footsteps", Kujar spoke.  
"Oh we're correct alright", Renati said, revealing Varas' Anla'Shok pin she had uncovered from the sand.  
"She must have placed it here for us to find it", Moran spoke  
"But where to now? The footsteps split up and it's not clear to see which one carried her, assuming he did", Kujar noticed.

_Maybe I'm close enough now…_ Renati thought and called upon her gift.

It didn't take her long to locate the mind of her friend, she was very close by – and in pain. "That way", she motioned.  
The Warriors had no reason to question her and followed her lead.

They followed the path until reaching a room with the door left ajar from which alien speech could be heard.  
Kujar dug into his backpack and took out the grenade he had disarmed earlier. He put shiny crystal inside where the ammo used to be and blinked at the Anla'Shok.

Unnoticed, he threw it into the room which was illuminated just seconds later by the brightest most, whitest of lights Renati had ever seen.

Renati, Moran and Kujar moved in immediately and soft slashes as well as the occasional thump and crack finished off the blinded Narn captain.

Surprisingly, in the centre of the room stood a Drazi soldier, not a Narn.

Renati noticed Varas hanging in chains in the corner of the room. She swept him onto the floor and grabbed the Drazi by his neck. She squeezed it softly with her fingers and barked: "What is your business here?"

The Drazi, too scared or too stupid to answer, tried struggling with no avail. Kujar sighed and aided Renati by putting one of the Narn knives through the Drazi's hand, literally pinning him to the ground.  
The captive let out a horrible cry but would not speak.  
"I will not ask you again", she insisted. The look in his eyes told of terror and fear in every language, yet he did not give way.  
"You will tell us and you will tell us now", Kujar said as he slowly walked over to the other side of the Drazi's body, grabbed his hand and jammed another Narn knife through it.  
"You're not going anywhere, so you might as well tell us and save us the trouble of massacring another of your kind. You brother or father perhaps?", Kujar threatened. The Drazi panicked but had no where to go. He still refused to speak.

Renati was near desperation. This creature, this _thing_, had harmed her friend and now had the nerve not to speak? How disrespectful can one get?  
There was no other option left now. If she wanted answers, she was going to have to get them herself.

With extreme focus, raped her way through his cold alien mind. It was cluttered and chaotic, but determination aided Renati in quickly discovering the information she required.  
Of course, the Drazi put up some resistance here and there, but nothing she couldn't handle. The Minbari wasn't subtle in tearing down built-up barriers though, so to viewers from without it appeared as if the Drazi was going into some kind of seizure.

The images that flashed before her were as she had feared: this Drazi was involved in a plot against her own.  
The objective was to capture Varas post al ultimatum to the Minbari government: her safe return in exchange for the Minbari's word of secrecy of the biological weapons they had developed in order to destroy the Balosians.  
Only a Drazi could believe such a plan could succeed without retaliation.

Nevertheless, he full heartedly held fast. He had been playing the Narn by fooling them into thinking Varas was a Centauri spy. Given her under cover act and break-in to one of their most sacred libraries, it wasn't a hard to sell story.  
How he would get the Narn to give the Minbari over to him, he hadn't figured out yet, but Drazi didn't exactly excel in planning ahead. Renati figured he would probably have forcibly taken her with him when it got too much.

When her own mind focused on force, she involuntarily triggered the Drazi's violent memories. Flashes of torturing, mishandling and other atrocities appeared before her. These were not of himself, but by his own hand.  
Renati didn't care if this was just a brain-dead Drazi, she had never seen such expressions of pain on a Pak'Ma'Ra's face and swore to Valen she would not allow it to happen to Varas.

The creature probably thought that by enough persuasion, he could get the Anla'Shok to do whatever it was he wanted her to do – or say. Of course, no Minbari could never be convinced into that by means of personal torture, but there was no reason for her to undergo needless suffering. This new vision the Shai Alyt had shown her suddenly made sense.

Renati couldn't take it any longer. No more thoughts, no more suffering!  
She had to get out, leave his mind and knock him senseless – or worse. This wretched hive of agonywas no place for her pristine Minbari being.  
But the thoughts locked on, they kept coming! Now that she had released them, they dashed into her from every direction. They twirled around her and kept her trapped in a typhoon where every wave was a razor sharp swirl of things a Minbari mind could not process without consequence.

Anger. Suffering. Pain. Agony. Hatred. Molestation. Suffocation. Torture.  
Murder...

"Let me out!", her shrill voice screamed through his mind. The burst of energy she unleashed by the will to escape was so crude and uncontrolled, it randomly dispersed in any direction. The Drazi's mind was not capable of taking this kind of damage.  
His seizure increased, his body jerked up and down in a fast pace until finally Renati broke free.  
A trail of blood and two trails of tears ran from his nose and eyes before his hard head hit the floor and the lifeless eyes stared out into nothingness.

Moran, Kujar and Varas, who had been released by the hands of Moran, looked at Renati in shock. Varas couldn't believe her eyes.

_What has she done?? _

Unleashed from her shackles, Varas rushed to her friend.  
"Are you alright??", she yelped and held her by the shoulders.  
"Are you?", Renati looked at her with slightly pink eyes and put her arms around her.  
"I'm not hurt, I can walk", Varas said with a trembling voice.  
"We must get out of here before we attract more attention", Moran noted, trying to divert attention from Renati.

Apparently it was not known that this Anla'Shok was a telepath. He always assumed telepaths were forbidden amongst the Anla'Shok.  
Why? He didn't know, but clearly the two Warriors weren't the only ones that didn't know about Renati's gift.

Kujar had already sent the signal to the Tiris in orbit of the planet for a transport back.  
They back tracked their path out of the mountains and ran to the centre of the field where the transport was waiting for them. Stealth was no longer an issue and the desert eels seemed to stay clear of four pairs of roaring feet.

Before boarding the ship, Renati turned around to face her friends and, carrying fear in her eyes , asked: "Do not speak of what happened"

No one debated or intended to do otherwise, though each had their reservations.

_Never tick off a telepath_ , Kujar thought joyfully as he too boarded the escort back to space.

* * *

Later that night, Renati was visited by Shai Alyt Naroon.  
"Enter", she spoke.  
"I just passed by to get a word on Varas' situation", he justified his presence.  
"She's doing well", Renati replied.  
"She's in sick bay to make sure the Narns didn't do anything odd to her, but I heard her complaining about the probes when I passed by earlier, so she's fine"

The Shai Alyt chuckled.  
"She's a bit of an odd ball that one", he spoke carefully.  
"Oh you have no idea", Renati giggled as she served the commander and herself some tea.  
"She sleeps in her ship because she likes the boundary-less experience of space", Renati related.  
"Well, she has a point", he tried understanding the obscure ways of the Religious Caste through a smile.

"Oh Shai Alyt, you should know of the things she pulls sometimes; actually we pull together as I'm not that much better", she mumbled that last part more quietly.

"I would love to spend a quiet night with you hearing of your heroic adventures. I'm sure you two will manage to bring them across very vividly", the honourable Warrior replied.  
"Oh you have no idea", they laughed together.  
"But I will continue the tales of Varas and her pink fighter when she is present. Please do not tell her I gave you a preview", she asked.  
"You can trust in me Renati", he promised, "but I need to know one thing"  
"Yes?"  
"Why pink?"  
"Only Varas and Valen know", Renati replied and the two Minbari burst out in laughter again.

Naroon stayed a little while longer, talking and laughing and enjoying the fresh crew member's company, before heading off to bed.

* * *

The next morning, Varas came to Renati's room and found her in meditation.  
"I didn't mean to interrupt", she excused herself.  
"No no, come on in", Renati insisted. Varas entered and sat on the matte next to her, looking severely at her friend.

"How long have you been telepathic?", she asked in disbelief.  
"Ever since I can remember", Renati admitted.

Varas seemed disappointed. It was not what she wanted to hear. She could not blame her friend for holding it back, but could not help feeling pushed back.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't know how...

If I would have revealed this, I would have been taken into the sanctuary of the Telepaths to be trained as one of them and would have been prohibited to continue my passion as Anla'Shok.

I haven't told anyone Varas, even Akel does not know. Please don't tell Akel!", Renati outed realising what she had implied.

"I will not", she assured her friend by placing a hand on hers, "I am just sad you didn't tell me earlier.  
I've had my suspicions of course, ever since I saw you fight for the first time. You fought that bully back at the academy, what was his name again… ", she pondered.  
"I can't remember right now, but it doesn't matter. I always wondered why he didn't hit you back when he had the chance"

"Yes", Renati smiled, "Being telepathic does have its advantages sometimes indeed. But not always"

She thought back of the few things in life that had happened involuntarily. Just because she thought about it.  
She had influenced several lives without wanting to, but had only ended one because of it.

"I was scared to tell you because I didn't know how you would react. It's not allowed for us, yet here I am, trying to bend the rules as I always do", Renati tried to catch some sympathy with a sheepish smile.  
"I know, I understand. Forgive my ego", Varas admitted and lifted her hand, fingers elongated and placed it on Renati's chest.  
"Thank you Varas", Renati replied with the same motion. The females ritually bowed at one another, their hands locked on their hearts, until they were satisfied with this new knowledge.

"So.. what is it like?", Varas asked, curious as ever.

Renati lit up inside. The moment Varas asks you more about something, she's over it. You could have started a war against her species, if she asks you what tactics you used, she forgave you for your mistake. It will always remain your mistake though, but she is not one to rub things in.

"It's hard. The problem is I can't control it. Sometimes I get all the information and more than I want and other times nothing comes my way. Even other times I completely lose control, that's most dangerous. I think it's tied to my adrenaline"  
"Is that what happened yesterday?", Varas asked, unable to hide a slight hint of disgust.

"Varas, I went into his mind and I saw what he was going to do to you. He was going to use you as leverage for the Minbari to keep quiet about the secret biological weapons I have discovered on the Drazi home world"  
"What weapons?"  
"I'll tell you about that later. The point is he was going to put you through so much pain Varas… and he would enjoy it.

I lost it, I couldn't allow that to happen. I had to punish him for even thinking of hurting you. I didn't mean to do it that way, but I will not excuse the fact that I ended his life. I had just planned on a more physical means of doing so, but his thoughts wouldn't let me go. I was trapped in there...

I'm sorry it happened the way it did"  
"You should have let Kujar cut his head off", she joked and placed her hand on Renati's shoulder.  
"It's ok. But you must learn to control it. Evil or not, that was not a pleasant way to die", Varas insisted.  
"I know…", Renati admitted uncomfortably.

But how to control it without proper training?

After an uneasy silence Varas said: "At least it must be relieving to finally have someone to talk about it now. I'm sure that will aid you in controlling it better"  
Renati smiled. "I'm sure"

"So what _did _you find on the Drazi home world?"  
"Well-" Renati paused, "Let me show you"  
Varas couldn't hide the excitement on her face. She placed her hands in the palms of Renati's outstretched hands and waited for the connection.  
"Be still and do not block me", Renati asked as she transferred the images of her mind to Varas', showing her every aspect of her experience, down to the smallest detail.  
Varas was captured with amazement on the intensity of experiencing another's feelings and views.

Suddenly, a mission with the telepathically gifted Gaim didn't seem as threatening as it had before.

* * *

**The next chapter will be 'Aiding the Gaim'**

Stay tuned!


	19. Chapter 19: Aiding the Gaim

**Editor's note:**

Sorry for the terribly long wait! Things have been hectic here this week, so muc to do, so many students who have questions (exams start next week, so now it's hell for any professor --'') but of course I can't deny them any help!I know this one isn't the same quality as the others, but as I explained I had to write this in between a lot of things, so I'm sorry it suffered. I hope it's not as bad as I think it is, but you know how it is. You always see your own mistakes best  
In any case, this is the last of the 'seperate' missions. From here on there will be a little more character development and general Minbari culture exploration for a chapter or two and then the big plot will finally start to unravel.

So please stay tuned and let me know what you think!

**Aiding the Gaim**

Two weeks had passed since the incident on the Narn home world when word from the Drazi pursuits had spread to Minbar and beyond. Apparently the Centauri embassy had conveyed the information about the biological weapons to the Balosians, at the right price of course.

Outraged with this new knowledge, the small race prepared itself for war, while the Drazi remained in full denial.

Minbar did not undertake any action.  
"It is not our quarrel", Dhaliri Satai of the Religious Caste had passed over Anla'Shok Na's request for intervention. Lennon then resolved to all he could do: he passed the word to the Abbai delegation.

The race excelled at negotiating, even the most impossible cases were not that impossible for the Abbai. They could also relate easier to the Balosians and Drazi than any Minbari envoy could, hence proved to be the better choice.  
The Abbai almost immediately went public with this information, seeing the public opinion as their only feasible weapon against the Drazi.  
Their guess was correct.

Both the Narn and Centauri reminded the Drazi that they would not stand for the use of biological weapons. Obviously too close for comfort to any of their systems.

The Brakiri had tried to interfere, for they seemed to sympathise with the Drazi, but were quickly shunned off by the Narn.

Rumour has it that even Earth has sent a delegation to the edge of Drazi-Narn space to show their discontent of the situation.

And yes, finally Minbar gave word that they too disapproved of the Drazi's actions, but they didn't give it any more weight – or effort – then it needed.  
The Religious Caste did not see the relevance, the Workers noted that their technology would be inferior anyway, so did not pose a threat and the Warrior Caste simply doesn't care about the Drazi or the Balosians.

In any case, it was out of the hands on the Anla'Shok, for better or worse.

* * *

"Remind me of the briefing?", Varas, whose bruises were all but gone, asked her friend.  
"One of the Gaim queens has had an egg stolen by a neighbouring race. The species were holding it captive and will only return it for a ridiculous amount of ransom. The Gaim couldn't afford it if they wanted to", Renati repeated.

Renati and Varas had been chosen for this mission as they were the Anla'Shok with the most experience regarding the Gaim: any.  
Some time in a distant past, they had helped one of the insectoids get safe passage through a hostile sector. The creature hadn't really said much – if anything – but was grateful for its arrival in one piece.  
Their experience was no more than that, but apparently enough for Anla'Shok Na to trust the twosome with this delicate endeavour.

This time there would probably be more diplomacy involved. The Queen wanted to meet the Anla'Shok before revealing the location of the egg.  
It was very peculiar: they knew where it was, but they couldn't risk getting it back themselves. Apparently, the insectoid race in question had much influence amongst the Gaim's other neighbours, which could put them in a prickly situation.

Varas and Renati were relaxing in the common room on the Tiris, when they saw the Alyt enter. Varas gestured for her to come and join them, but she gave them a demeaning look and turned away.  
"What's up with her?", Varas commented.  
"Oh she does that. I think she doesn't like Anla'Shok. She's been like that ever since I got here. Hasn't said a single word", Renati explained.  
"Pfft, her loss", Varas shook her shoulders and sipped her drink.

She was enjoying a cooled Mint leaf – Rikka juice, which tastes like mint with a hint of peach. It had been a while since she had enjoyed the pleasures of anything more tasteful than water, thus took her time to absorb it.

"At least they're more sociable, for Warriors of course", Varas pointed at Moran and Kujar. They must be off shift.  
Kujar noticed the two females glancing at them and motioned for his friend to follow.

"So, the Gaim I hear?", Kujar queried as he and Moran sat down, "Not the easiest species to deal with I'm sure"  
"Well we've have some experience with them in the past. They are odd because they are telepathic, but very crudely", Renati explained.  
"Crudely telepathic? Please define that", Moran wondered.  
"Just different", Renati replied, trying not to go too deep into the matter.

"They are a tad scary at first glance, but they're one of the species I don't mind doing business with. At least they're straight forward and are not corrupt unlike some others in our galaxy", Varas stated.  
"The joy of the Centauri race!", Kujar let out.  
"Very true!", Renati agreed.

"But they're very nice on home ground", Varas countered, "We were treated very well in our travels to Centauri worlds"

Renati had no choice but to agree. Centauri receptions had always been well indeed. Mostly because they want you to stop thinking about what else they could be up to, they make sure they have enough distractions to keep you busy. Nonetheless the distractions they provide are usually pleasant and informative.

"I've never had the pleasure", Kujar rolled his eyes, "Still, rather a Centauri than a Human"  
"Actually I would have followed you in that notion until some months ago", Renati shocked the general consensus.  
"Explain", Kujar asked in a lightly threatening voice.  
"Believe it or not, but not all humans are bad. In fact, the Centauri seem to be all the bad elements of the humans, greed, pride, decadence-"  
"Arrogance", Moran added.  
"Oh yes definitely arrogance and so much more packed into a single package with a longer life span on top of it", Renati finished with a humoristic note.

Moran chuckled at her vivid explanation and imitations of Centauri officers.  
"I used to think Humans were exactly alike, until I trained some of them and realised they had other abilities such as compassion, forgiveness-"  
"You trained Humans?", Kujar interrupted.  
"Into what?", Moran added.  
"Into fully fledged Anla'Shok"

The Warriors burst out into laughter until they realised Renati was not kidding them.  
"You're serious?", Kujar spoke up.  
"Kor, the universe is changing in a way that many amongst us, myself included, will not like. It has been brought to my attention that the Humans are playing an increasingly important factor in Minbari affairs. To the like and dislike of all those involved of course"

Moran smiled away the concern of his friend. "Trained Humans – by Valen, next what's next, Minbari trained by Vorlon?"  
Renati looked at the floor and remained quiet at that remark. Trained was not the correct word for it, she found. Instructed for a short while perhaps yes, but not trained.

"Anla'Shok, unbelievable!", Kujar outed and chuckled at something Varas whispered.  
"Do not mock me or I will move your plant!", she joked.  
"What is it with you and Varas and plants? I've been hearing all kinds of rumours about plants. Even the Shai Alyt was mumbling about it", Moran wondered.

"Actually it's very silly", Varas explained while Renati grinned.  
"It started when Renati became a full fledged Anla'Shok. She spent a lot of time in sick bay after her missions as she has a knack of getting herself – and me in most cases – in trouble.  
The hela'mers had grown so accustomed to her, that at one time when she spent three months in sick bay, Akel had moved her plant as a sign that she gave up hope for her swift return", Varas taled.  
".. and to pester me really", Renati added.  
"Oh I see", Moran replied.  
"Well Renati, Varas, please make sure your plants remain in your rooms"  
The Warriors bowed and left for duty.

* * *

The morning after when Renati got up to leave for the Gaim world, she noticed a small package on the table in the living quarters.  
She picked it up and looked at it curiously.

_How did it get in here without me noticing?_

Carefully she took the ring off the cloth wrapped around the package, which was traditional amongst Minbari for gifts. One uses the same cloth and ring to return a gift to the same or another person later on.

In the cloth she found a hand written note saying:

"_To make sure that when you return I can leave your plant in your room.  
_- Naroon"

A gift from the Shai Alyt? How generous of him!

Beneath it she found two armguards with no blue shine in their blades. When she looked on the inside of the glove, she saw '_Naroon ra Shaibar'nik_' etched at the bottom of the blades' crystal.

A fitting trade for her own she found. She was starting to like these Warriors.

* * *

Varas and Renati were dropped off in two Nial fighters at the nearest neighbouring system to the Gaim intelligence and were left to their own.  
They sat near the jump gate as Varas tried scanning the area, just to be safe. You never know what comes at you in the vast darkness of space.  
"Great, we're back to playing the waiting game", Varas complained.  
"Well since I don't have to hide it anymore, give me a minute I will see if I can locate anything", her friend replied.

Renati closed her eyes and concentrated on the vast space around her before travelling further into it. She came to an intricate web of telepathic messages.  
Many messages returned to one point, many others to another, many others again to another.

_Must be the lessers communicating with the queens_

She sent a message of acknowledgement to one of the strands she could grab a hold of and got back the colour blue-green as response.

Renati chuckled at this puzzling reply.  
"What's the matter?", Varas inquired.  
" I sent them a signal telling them we are here and requesting an escort, and all I got back was blue-green", Renati explained.  
"How do you mean, blue-green?", Varas spoke confused.  
"Let me show you", Renati said as she transferred the image she had gotten from the Gaim to her friend.  
"Well that's odd", Varas spoke with her eyes closed, "I can make out the shape… hmmm… it looks like a Minbari male.. huh? Renati, why do you send me an image of a blue-green Minbari male?"  
Renati didn't realise her friend was teasing her.

When on the war cruiser earlier, Varas had run into the Alyt of the ship who had uttered her discontent of the Anla'Shok aboard the ship and how she seemed to distract the Shai Alyt and take up too much of his valuable time. The perfect opportunity for Varas to vex her friend.

"Uhm.. I sent you a plain colour Varas", Renati replied with a hesitant voice.  
"No you didn't, I can clearly see the silhouette of a male Minbari", Varas teased back.  
"Well um… as I said I can't control my ability very well yet and sometimes I guess other things get through.  
I saw a couple of Warriors before we left so that's probably why there's a male Minbari in my thoughts", she tried to talk herself out of it to Varas' amusement.

After some more teasing the females decided they had waited long enough and flew off in the direction of where Renati said the intricate web of lines met.  
The two Anla'Shok toyed with each other all the way there by flying around each other and tagging one another.

Suddenly Renati found a Gaim fighter on top of her.  
"Oh, hi!", she outed in surprise, but let the playfulness die out at once. The Gaim pilot escorted them to the most intricate web of all.

* * *

The Anla'Shok left their ships and entered a great hallway empty aside from a couple of guards. They continued down the path until they ended up in a room in which a large Gaim Queen was seated.

She was at least five times the size of any record the Minbari had of Gaim queens and had a certain sense of age upon her.  
She filled up the better part of the room and had four guardians standing in front of her. They were not hidden, as was customary for the lesser queens, but out in the open.

The guardians themselves were humongous. At least twice the height and breath of a normal Warrior Caste Minbari. Their armour plating looked impenetrable. This had to be the Queen of queens they were looking at Varas figured.

Just like the other Gaim, the queen was telepathic. However, not being akin to the Minbari mind, she shouted 'WELCOME!' into the minds of Renati and Varas.

The sound of the Queen's voice in her head was so overwhelming for Varas, that she fell to the ground on her behind.  
Renati had managed to stay afoot albeit with a bursting head ache. Shetried to communicate with the queen to show her what their minds could take to hopefully avoid recurrence.

Over a thousand lines came into the Queen's mind, connecting her to the other Gaim. As Renati's link approached, she saw another depart and seconds later, saw one return from the same direction. Incredible how this creature can handle so many things at once. She must have a massive brain capacity.

After receiving Renati's message, the queen then addressed them in a tone they could stand.  
"Forgive me, little one", she said to Varas and extended one of her gigantic claws. She picked the Minbari up and put her back on her feet. Varas was too befuddled with the situation to react.

"I thank you for coming to our aid", the queen spoke once again, "A terrible thing has happened. One of my children has been stolen from me"  
As the Queen mentioned the word 'stolen' Renati and Varas could feel the structure shake beneath their feet.

"We come to help you retrieve your lost child, honoured Queen of the Gaim", Renati bowed respectfully, "Do you know who took her?"  
The queen looked at Renati for an instant, as if taking the time to let what she said sink in and then replied: "A neighbouring race on the planet next to Mitoc has recently sent an ambassador to our world.  
We had never heard of them before. They were interested in trade and exploration, but they had nothing of value to offer us so we declined. Shortly afterwards, I discovered my child had been taken from me"  
As she spoke these words in the minds of the Minbari, they felt the structure shudder again.

"Some time later, we received word from that world that they are holding my child captive and are demanding a ridiculous amount of ransom for her return."  
The Queen paused and sighed for a moment.

"Never have I lost one of my children. A Gaim queen is very special to all Gaim. Queens go on to live forever unless their life is taken. There is no limit to their lifespan. They carry the responsibility and burden of their entire flock, with them all their lives.  
If a queen dies, the youngest of her offspring die with her.

Every queen can only produce so many others. The only way to expand our race, is to make a new queen. Every so many hundred years, this is done.

It has been a hundred years since my last child. I am the only queen capable of giving birth to other queens and have never lost one of my children before.  
It would hurt me and my fellow Gaim incredibly if my child were not to return. We desperately need your help for getting her back", the queen plead.

"This other race, are they insectoid, as yourselves?", Renati queried.  
"Yes they are, a lesser race of course, but nonetheless insectoid"

Renati looked at Varas. How in the world were they going to get the egg back if the Gaim didn't manage to do so themselves? Even if the other species had half the strength and intelligence of the Gaim, they would be no match for them. And negotiations were not an option apparently.

"We will travel to the world that is holding your child captive, but we will require your assistance.  
We may be Minbari, but it would be foolish to think we are a match for the competing insectoid race. We would like to request assistance of some of your warriors for when we travel down to the planet", Renati asked as politely as she could. She was scared that the Queen would see this as a sign of weakness and that she would single-handedly ruined the Gaim-Minbari relation.

The Queen did not speak but Renati saw the middle guardian stepping forth. He opened his armour plates and revealed a vast amount of pincers, claws and more extensions Renati didn't know what they were for, but was imaginative enough to come up with several ways to die by.

His face and body showed battle scars of old and new. The main one scarred through his right eye, changing the colour reflection slightly in his facet eyes from dark red to orange, to a bright red and then back to their native dark red.

He was most impressive, put lightly.  
The Queen would miss him greatly were he not to return. The Ancient, as he transmitted to Renati and Varas, came standing next to Renati and spoke in her mind "I will accompany you"

Another two regular warriors had entered the room and came to stand next to Varas. Renati looked at them and at her own guardian and wondered how in the world they were going to get them into their ships.  
As a response, the Ancient showed her how he would wrap around her Nial fighter and rest in a state of hibernation.  
She would have to get used to this constant telepathical communication. It was hard enough to be able to see someone's thoughts, but to have another picking your mind constantly was downright exhausting.

For Varas however, the Anla'Shok could not come to an agreement. There was no way in which she could take them with her in her Nial fighter.  
The two warriors left the room by the command of the queen. The pattern of lines around her mind changed to more intricate for a short moment until returning to normal.

Suddenly a tiny, very active, flying…insect entered the room instead. It was incredibly mobile, flying up and down, left and right, in the blink of an eye.

It sent colours to Varas' mind with the same speed it jotted around in the air. The Anla'Shok's brain was not adept to this and crumbled under the effort. Varas reached for her head in order to block them out, but could not fight it. The colours kept coming through with great speed and enthusiasm.

Red, green, blue, white, brown, yellow, red,… aaah!

She pushed her hands on the side of her head in an attempt to block it out.  
"Make it stop!", she cried out. It was the Queen that calmed down the creature, allowing Varas some breathing space.

She spoke to them again: "I could send you 5 or 100 of my warriors, it would not make a difference, they are identical. Of these however, I have only one each. They will aid you as you need"

With this, Varas, Renati and the Gaim departed to their Nail fighters. Renati climbed into hers and saw the ancient clamping around her ship just as he had shown her. He was careful not to damage her ship.

The other one stayed in Varas' cockpit, but got so excited when they lifted off, that it started broadcasting all the colours again into Varas' mind, almost causing for her to collide with Renati's ship.

Renati's attempted to block it for her friend, but her powers weren't atoned enough. She could just as easily fry her friend's brain.  
As by miracle, Varas managed to fly out of the Gaim station without hitting anything.  
The Gaim Ancient noticed the disturbance and Renati felt him putting the little one on its place.  
Varas flew straight ahead again, so Renati suspected the images had stopped.

"Why colours?", Renati asked the Ancient.  
"It is their language", he replied.  
Apparently, only those of high rank were taught words through telepathic abilities. All others used colours to communicate. The sequence of colours, speed and duration made up the sentence, though the sentences usually were very simple of form due to language and intelligence restrictions.

"Pardon me for asking, but how come you need our help? You seem far strong enough to take this race up on your own", Renati inquired.  
"We cannot get onto the planet", he spoke, "Whenever we send ships, they do not return"  
Renati didn't like the sound of that, but she still preferred a spatial enemy than a ground one. In space, she had Varas!

After four hours of flying, the Minbari fighters approached the enemy planet. In front of them, Varas noticed some kind of black, liquid-ish web…of some kind.  
"What is that?", she asked Renati.  
"I have no idea but I suggest we don't fly into it", she said and manoeuvred her ship to get around the web.

As she turned right, a large object appeared on her scanner, coming towards her with considerable speed. She brought it up on scanner and saw a humongous insect-like shuttle, flying towards them.  
Renati held her breath when her scanners indicated the shuttle was organic and sentient.  
A space bug?

Varas tried hailing it, you never know, but no response came. Could it even hear them?

Renati zoomed in on the picture and noticed that in the web behind the creature, a couple of Gaim just hung there, stuck beneath the mucky blackness of it all. She felt her ship shiver as the Ancient on her back had opened an eye.

Yikes that's some eye sight.

"I guess that effectively rules out any chance of negotiations", she spoke over the comm. link and moved into attack formation.  
The Anla'Shok flew a straight line together onto the enemy. Its jaw opened wide when its approach accelerated.  
Just before it would collide with them, the Nial fighters pulled up and flew over it, firing at its hull…or body.

As she flew over, Renati suddenly felt her ship growing a lot lighter.

_Gravitational pull?_

Varas didn't seem to have any troubles, so it couldn't be that.  
She looked around as she flew away from the beast and noticed the Ancient standing atop it. It revealed two of its largest pincers and slashed them through the creature's neck, decapitating it.

A large amount of green fluid flew out of the headless neck, jesting the body into a fast descent.  
Renati turned her fighter around as fast as she could and sped down to the body. She sheared over it and heard a thump as she passed it by.  
The increased weight of her ship assured her that her friend had rejoined her.

* * *

Together with Varas she entered the atmosphere and continued her descend to the planet. The planet was vast, covered with many forests. Initial scouting for a landing strip proved to be of no avail. "Maybe further up there will be a patch of grass for us to land onto?", Renati suggested.

"Patch of grass! I'm sick of this, I will do this the Warrior way and make my own patch of grass!", Varas exclaimed at which she fired her lasers and literally cut away the trees, in the end revealing a patch of be it scorched grass for them to land on.

After leaving her ship, Varas scanned the area, but didn't find any sign of the egg they were looking for.

"We're going to need a more efficient way of scanning if we want to find this egg before our heads end up on a pike", she said.  
At that notion, Renati felt the Ancient send a message to the smaller insect and it sped off into the distance. He turned towards the two Minbari and spoke "climb" into their minds.

Renati and Varas looked at each other and walked over to the nearest tree. Varas gave Renati a lift in order for her to be able to reach the lowest branch. A faint sound of laughter sounded in their heads, halting them from their endeavour.

"Not the tree, me!", he uttered.  
He bent through his knees and opened the scales on his back. There was enough room for both of them to stand up.  
They were careful of what to hold on to. The last thing they wanted to do was accidentally hurt this magnificent creature, though something told Varas they would be surprised at this one's pain threshold.

When they were in place, the Ancient leapt forward, commencing his chase of the smaller insect that had run ahead.

His speed was considerable for his mass. This was a bulky creature with massive strength, but who just as elegantly managed to move himself through the woods, between trees, over boulders, under branches, past any obstacle!  
His finesse was amazing.

The thumping sound of his feet hitting the floor at every step was soothing, almost hypnotising.  
After half an hour of running, Varas peered over the Ancient's shoulders and noticed there was no more ground ahead. The mountain ended in a ravine which held a valley with more trees. Down the valley she could make out large towers of some sort.

To her dismay, the ancient didn't stop, but sped up as he approached the edge of the cliff. At the very end, he leapt up before commencing a fast descent.

Renati saw Varas closing her eyes and grabbing on more tightly than before. She followed her example and also gripped tighter, but then noticed his scales were moving.

Wings appeared from beneath them. Stretched to their full length, they spun at least 6 meters in width. They did not move, but they made the descent more controllable by gliding rather than just tumbling to their doom.  
"I used to be smaller", the Ancient communicated to the two Minbari on his back with a remnant sense of nostalgia.

The landing was softer and more silent than the Anla'Shok had anticipated. The Ancient ran along a little further after he was able to reach the ground, reducing the noise and impact of his landing.

When Renati and Varas put their feet on the ground they noticed the small insect was flying happily in front them and guided them out of the bushes to one of the towers they had seen from atop the cliff.

It was wide at the bottom and spiralled itself up to a thin top. Everywhere there were holes in the side of the structure, large ones at the bottom, smaller ones growing towards the top of it.

"The queen's daughter is in there", the Ancient spoke anxiously. He readied his pincers and looked at the females.  
"Again, no time for peaceful negotiations", Renati said with a satisfactory smile as she showed the armguards around her arms.

The Ancient smiled in his mind and ran off speedily to the nearest bottom hole. Renati and Varas were unable to follow, but were lucky to be so.

An entire swarm of insects had sprung out of the hole and jumped onto the Ancient. They were a 10th of his size, about half Renati's size, so they seemed doable in combat, were it not for their numbers lying around fifty.

The Ancient didn't seem to have any trouble clearing the path for the Minbari Anla'Shok. His pincers cut through the insects with the greatest of ease. Those who weren't cut through were knocked back by the force of his swinging arms.

The two Anla'Shok followed their insect leader as far into the tower as they could, allowing him to clear the path for them whenever necessary.

When they came to a large room on the middle level, there was a pathway along the top of it that lead to a door, but it was too small for the ancient to follow.  
At the bottom, lots of insect warriors had gathered and were advancing towards them.

The ancient took his responsibility and left the Minbari in care of his smaller companion.  
He jumped down to the large oval room and commenced his fierce battle with those that had stolen the egg from his Queen. He had no troubles beating his adversaries, on the contrary, it seemed more like it was well time for him to do this or he would've tore down the entire structure out of fury.

Renati and Varas moved further into the structure, undetected. The little one communicated with them through colours at a lower speed, but they still couldn't understand it fully. They could just make out that when it flashed red there always seemed to be an enemy ahead.

After a while of crawling through the uncomfortably small corridor-like passageways, the small creature stopped and flashed a lot of red.  
Renati reached into her a pocket in her belt and armed a shard grenade.

Carefully she took a peek in the next room and saw four heavy guards in front of a large door. They were at least three times their size and posture, not an enemy she wanted to face in close combat.  
She threw the grenade in unnoticed and a satisfying splut followed.

The creature still sent red into their minds, so the Anla'Shok proceeded with caution.  
When they reached the centre of the room, two of the guards that had survived dropped down from the ceiling.

With a reflexive move, Renati slashed at the legs of the first one. Unfortunately for him, he had decided to bend over to attack her just as she sliced her arms across. She cut the upper half of his body from his lower half and rolled out of the way, avoiding to be crushed by the heavy mass dropping to the ground.

Varas was combating her guard very well, but looked relieved when Renati distracted the enemy by cutting open his back. She took the opportunity to slice open its throat, which efficiently killed it. Green slime was all over their costumes, but that was the least of their concern.

The small insect stood in front of the door, flickering ble at them. Neither Renati nor Varas could find a mechanism to open the door, thus decided to do things the Warrior way again.

They blasted through the webby wall, which succumbed to the will of their plasma guns.  
They took care to shoot more to the top and side of the structure in fear of harming the possible egg behind the wall. Varas didn't know how they would explain having rescued the egg but having shot it themselves- she'd rather not!

When they broke through the wall their suspicions were confirmed.  
In a large oval room, a moist egg lay on a pedestal. Varas walked up to it while Renati scanned the perimeter.

It was heavy, but had a thick edge, so it could take a hit. Relieved, Varas lifted it and gently placed it in her backpack which she had emptied earlier. The egg was too large to fit in completely and stuck out until passed her head, but it was still comfortable enough for Varas to move rather freely.

She handed over all items she had emptied from her backpack and couldn't fit in her pockets to Renati and both crawled back out through the hole they had blasted in the wall.

They were greeted by a large insect which Renati identified as the ambassador the Queen had shown them in her visions. When she saw him lunging at Varas who was sprinting towards the exit to the side of him, Renati fired a couple of concentrated bursts at his head.

Bull's eye!

His head was shot to oblivion, but they didn't stay to discover if he body could do something without the head.

The Anla'Shok raced back to the large room where the Ancient was still battling flocks of oncoming warriors. Hundreds of carcasses lay piled up all around.Impressive, but he wasn't going to keep this up forever.

He noticed his companions returning and ran away from the crowd. Varas watched in awe as she saw him climb up the wall to reach their level by slashing his pincers through the cocooned padding, hooking his way up.  
When he reached the Anla'shok, Varas was happy to pass on the egg. At least if he broke it, the wrath of the Gaim would be upon him, not the Minbari people.

Some plates in the centre of his chest opened, revealing a softer inside. He took the egg and placed it there. It was too large for the plates to close entirely, so the insect regurgitated over it.  
The dark black matter that had come out of its mouth materialised immediately and moulded the two edges of the plates together, closing the gap.

At this notion, the two Minbari jumped on his back and held on for their lives as he broke through the soft but crispy walls of the structure. The Ancient raced at a faster speed than he did before, demolishing everything in his path.

* * *

In no time they were at the cliff they had jumped off before. The Ancient performed the same manoeuvre as he had done inside the tower and climbed the cliff using his pincers.  
After back-tracking the path through the trees, he clamped himself onto Renati's Nial fighter speeding off into space as fast as they could.  
The insect in Varas' cockpit was remarkably quiet in communication. The Ancient was probably shielding it to avoid her concentration being broken.

When the Minbari returned to the Queen Mother's quarters, the Ancient went ahead and bowed before his mistress. He opened his centre plates and a small Gaim queen jumped out, screeching.  
Relieved of being out of the confinements of the tiny chest, she ran around a bit until she met up with the two Minbari females.

"Thank you", the small queen spoke softly into their brain in common.

_Incredible! She can already speak!_ Varas thought as the creature sped off to meet its mother.

"The Gaim are in debt of the Minbari race", the Queen Mother spoke as she sheltered her child.  
"Whenever you are in need of our aid, you may call upon us and we shall stand by you. You have no idea of the gratitude that befalls you from the entire Gaim race. You have saved the legacy of our race, our future. We thank you"

The Ancient took a step forward and looked at the two Anla'Shok standing in front of him. He walked over to Varas and moments later she giggled in awe.

He then did the same for Renati. He walked over to her and showed her a part of her future. There she saw herself in a beige robe, holding a very, very young Minbari in her arms.  
"Come see me then", the Ancient spoke to her and bowed to both in respect.

As the two friends left for their ships Varas poked Renati.  
"And? What did you see?", she asked with a smile on her face. Renati was speechless. "Come on, tell me!", Varas insisted.  
"I saw… the future", she said and Varas saw her friend was clearly touched.  
She would not inquire further on such a private matter. Renati would tell her if she wanted her to know, that much she knew, but she also respected the privacy of her friend's feelings.  
"What about you?", Renati asked as they reached their ships.  
"He showed me all the different colours of pink", Varas spoke with a smile broader than Renati had ever seen before.

* * *

Next chapter: **The great boredom of space travel**

Coming sooner than this week's chapter, promise!


	20. C20: The great boredom of space travel

**The great boredom of space travel**

Vrrrrrr  
Silence.  
Vrrrrrr  
Silence.  
Vrrrrrr  
Again silence

Sigh.

Varas had begun to tap her head bone against the mucky wall at the pace of the sound. She knew the creature couldn't help it: it was his breathing being accentuated through the encounter suit.  
Some Gaim had problems with their breathing systems in certain atmospheres. It was not that resilient to dust particles and other dirt in the air.  
However inevitable it may be, it remained annoying.

Every 24 seconds – for the past 4 days.

"I'm going to stretch my legs", Renati informed her friend. She got off the bunk bed – on which she had been sitting upright of course – and passed the Pak'ma'ra in the corner before arriving in the hallway.  
His abdomen made an upsetting growl as she passed by, but Renati knew better than to take offense.

Outside the cabin stood one of the pilots, Brakiri, smoking something.  
Another mystery of life Renati had never quite figured out: smoking. She could relate to those using _special substances _in addition to the tobacco leaves. At least they had a life changing experience, albeit for the worse in the long run.

But regular smoking? Like the Humans and Brakiri do? Even for the Centauri it is not a sin left untouched on occasion.  
Why would you do it? In currency based society it's expensive; it has no physical advantage whatsoever – on the contrary: it makes you ill and smell bad – and it's highly addictive due to the nicotine, so you'll be doing it for a while.  
Why even risk it?

The Brakiri noticed the hooded figure staring at him and barked something in the likes of "What do you want?", but Renati ignored him and went down the other way of the corridor.

Well, corridor was a broad notion. It was 1.6 meters wide and 8 long, nothing much to pace around in. The corridor carried four rusty doors and one provisional elevator.  
Unregistered public transport was scruffy, to say the least. But it was what they had to get by with as Anla'Shok.

The last couple of trips on the Tiris had been a luxury. Personal quarters, Minbari food, Minbari company for that matter, a clean healthy environment...

And fresh, pure water.  
That most of all. Minbari are incredibly sensitive to the kind of water they consume. If it is not sufficiently purified, it can poison them.

Public transports always had the trouble they could never guarantee drinkable water, it was sort of hit and miss.  
They usually spring from dispensers, which give you a murky substance and a disc shaped pill –visually resembling aspirin – for purification.

But Tiris had none of those disadvantages, plus they get to travel space as well.

_Perhaps I should have been Warrior_, she smiled at the innocent thought.

She returned to her shared quarters, passing by the increasingly worry-faced Pak'ma'ra on her way, and climbed onto the top bunk to sit next to Varas.  
"Is it numb yet?", Renati commented wryly at Varas' head butts.  
"Actually, I'm trying to get the feeling back", her friend joked.

Vrrrrrr  
Silence.

Varas closed her eyes, annoyed.  
"Renati, you know I have a lot of patience, but the next time we know a Gaim is going to be a travel mate in _our_ cabin, we're waiting for the next public transport", she spoke, confident no one in the room understood the mingle of Adrenato, Vik and Lenn'A.  
Renati chuckled: "I second that"

Apparently they were not the only ones annoyed with the poor creature's vitality. The Narn on the other side of the room looked like he was ready to burst.  
He hadn't slept in three days, Varas noticed. Not that they had done much of that themselves, but at least Minbari were very efficient at conserving energy by meditation.

Suddenly he lunged forward to the other side of the room.  
_I'm going to silence that fly once and for all!_

His strong reptilian arm reached for the carapaced neck of the smaller being, but was stopped abruptly before reaching its target.  
Infuriated, he looked at the intruder of the would-be silence.  
"What is your problem?", he snarled.

"Do not harm others for what they cannot help", a female voice spoke.  
The voice was light, as if from a very young being. Its timbre was clear even in a language that was audily not natively hers, implying she has a long history of linguistics.

"Do you dare to interfere with a holy man and his quest for silence?", the Narn barked back.  
"Holy men should have the patience of saints, even for irritable things.  
I will handle it. All you have to do is return to your seat and leave him be", the Humanoid lips urged him.

Judging from the firm grip her female hand was giving him, returning to his seat would be the better option.

Renati snickered under her breath when her friend returned.  
"And what exactly _are_ you going to do about it?", she wondered.

"You'll see"

* * *

Three more hours along the way, or rather 3600 'Vrrrr's further, Varas finally stopped fiddling with the miniature tools at her fingers.

"Got it!", she exclaimed happily. She got up and perkily walked over to the insect, which had fallen asleep. She gently installed a small device, no larger than her thumb, on top of its helmet.  
"Don't worry, I'll remove it when you go", she assured the creature, as if it may understand her.

When Varas pressed something on her arm guard, the spectacular event her audience was waiting for remained at bay.

What did she do?

Twenty-four seconds later, the crowd reflexively winced – but no sound came. Thirty seconds, nothing. Forty, fifty... one minute.  
The Narn praised the skies and G'Quan for the new found tranquillity.

_Wrong deity_, the Pak'ma'ra – who had figured out the race of the two hooded figures from the first hour they spent together in this tin – thought.

"What did you do?", even Renati was puzzled.  
"I recalibrated my personal stealth generator into a minor dampening field", Varas explained, with a smile not broad enough to carry her pride.

"And _that_ took you four days?"

"I had to be careful I wouldn't silence the entire room! And not four days, but three hours.

I was just going to sit here and endure it. See it as penance for the luxury we have been granted lately while the other Anla'Shok had none.

But apparently, not everyone here shares the same pool of patience", Varas explained with a typical Religious Caste answer.  
"Bless the Narn and his short fuse" , Renati outed let out relaxed her head against the wall.

On to day five, but from now on in silence.

* * *

"I'm thirsty", Renati complained.  
"We have nothing left, the ship wasn't supposed to take the detour at Kotak"  
"It's been seven days in this can now Varas, two of which I have spent with no liquid or food. I'm getting cranky"  
"_You're_ getting cranky?"

"Think we should risk the machine?", Varas wondered in desperation.  
"_You_ could try, but remember what happened last time?"

Varas rubbed her stomach in reminisce. Last time she had consumed a bad patch of water, she had been sick for days. And in a compartment such as this, with a dozen alien species prying on your suffering, it's not exactly pleasant.

Renati of course hadn't gotten ill that time, as the fussy one refuses to drink anything that is even remotely unreliable.  
The fact that she almost died of thirst was negligible, or so she says.

"That's it, I'm just going to give it a go. Perhaps this one's better equipped", Varas lost her patience and got up.

"Suit yourself"

* * *

The beverage machine was no more than a large panel in the wall, carrying different plaques with the drink's icon on it. Non-frequent travellers wouldn't recognise half of these.  
There were Narn specific drinks, Drazi-only beverages , even typically Human beverages Varas had learned to stay away from. Soda she believed they were called.

Where Renati was the reluctant one, Varas was the ever experimental – when it comes to things she can control anyway. In dangerous situations they swap roles.

One time, Varas had been so curious about the beverages, she had tried several of the alien liqueurs.  
The Abbai thick slime was tasteful, but impossible to swallow, the Drazi beverage was repulsive by smell alone, but the Human 'soda' was... intriguing.

The scent was pleasant and the bubbles were simply daunting. She had never seen a beverage sparkle as such. Sure, the Minbari had naturally sparkling water, but none carrying such intensity.  
Renati had warned her that it was probably chemically induced, but Varas' curiosity had gotten the better of her.

First off, she burnt her tongue on the intense bubble power and second off she went into some kind of seizure, her body not used to the immense amount of sugar.

Her bone tingled when she looked at the plaque labelled 'Space Coke – A Coca Cola Company product'.  
"Let's just stick to water this time"

Even water was not free. She inserted her credit chip and had a scandalous 50 credits deducted from her card for the meagre 0.5 litre cup of murky water she received.  
In addition to that, she had to pay extra for the purification pill.

15 more credits!

Capitalism...

* * *

A buoyant Varas returned with a fizzing cup. Renati's frown did not fade, on the contrary.  
She watched as her friend scanned the now purified water for hazardous substances.  
"87 pure, not bad", Varas commented.  
"Not enough", the middle-aged grump replied and went back to sulking.

But then a scent tingled her nostrils.

What was that?  
The sweet heavy scent of... Gold Mountain liqueur!  
A honey flavoured drink favoured by the Narn priests living on the mountain of golden grass – grain really, but we all have our legends.

She eyed the Narn, who opened a reservoir unleashing the scent into the room. Like an arrow shot from a bow she dashed towards him, grabbing his wrist before he poured out the liquid.  
The Narn sighed at the second female grabbing him on this trip.

"What do you want, _Minbari_?", he had finally figured it out.  
"The liquid, how much?"  
"A bottle full", he replied confused.  
"No, how much do you want for it?"  
"How much do you have to offer?", the Narn replied with sparkling eyes.  
He dreamed of the riches this bargain would grant him, but was snapped back into reality by the female voice.

"Name your price", Renati insisted.  
"A thousand credits", he suggested the ridiculous amount in order for the annoying creature to leave him alone. Little did he know that Renati had no idea what currency was worth; the curse of almost every Minbari.  
"Five hundred"  
"Deal!", he quickly agreed. She slid her credit chit into the receiver on his, transferring the required credits.  
"Thank you", she bowed to the self-proclaimed holy man, under a snicker from the Pak'ma'ra across the room.

The Anla'Shok had been ripped off big time, but she had no idea.

She returned to her seat – or rather the iron bunk bed coming out of the wall she shared with Varas.

"Mmmmmm", she ravished and silently enjoyed the wealth of the honey coated drink in her mouth. It was not only refreshing, but nutritious as well, albeit a little too concentrated. It's effect was similar to the human grenadine: intense when consumed pure, subtle when mixed with a proper amount of water.

Varas complained when Renati offered her some. "I'll just make it better", she said and thinned it with the water she carried.

* * *

Both Minbari sat there for another two days, no longer starving or dry with thirst.

Renati's eye caught the slightly panic-stricken Pak'ma'ra rocking himself back and forth.

_What's he up to?_

Finally, the releasing event came.

"All passengers sit fast, we will be landing at Space Dock Nkrko before continuing our journey. 36 minutes to disembark, 17 hours before re-departure", a voice spoke in 12 different intergalactic languages.

_Great, legroom!_

* * *

The space dock Nkrko wasn't more than an oversized satellite with docking possibilities and food stalls.  
Varas enjoyed the remarkable odour of different species' breath, fluids and probably more. Holding back some rations that wanted to join the spectacle of scents, she descended the walkway quickly.

She was thrown aside by the Pak'ma'ra racing forth towards the chemical toilet.  
"So that was his problem! Well can't blame him, I heard they can only do that once a month", Renati realised as she confidently walked down the walkway.

Varas glared at her with incomprehensible eyes.  
Renati never had troubles holding whatever nutrition she had within her down, why?  
_Blasted aliens_

The two Anla'Shok took their time to stroll around the minimum stalls the dock offered.  
"Let's find something to eat", Varas said happily. Now that they were out in the open again – albeit simply a bigger piece of metal – the two could let their minds rest.

Varas slipped the credit chit into the wall to check their balance and yelped.  
"Twenty-two credits? What in Valen's name?"  
"What's wrong?"  
"We only have twenty-two credits left! We had _five hundred_ twenty two"  
"Oh, well I gave the Narn 500 for the drink", Renati spoke as if it was absolutely normal.  
"You what? Are you out of your mind?", Varas despaired.  
"What?", Renati stood offended.

Renati hated currency. She hated having to give something to receive another thing. Minbari are used to taking whatever they need and no more.

That is why Minbari society works without currency. No one takes more than they need. And if one day you take two breads instead of one at the baker's, then they presume you have company. No questions are asked.

In return the baker does not have to pay for his materials to make the bread. He too takes only what he needs. In this way, every Minbari serves the people the way they should and adds to society in their own way.  
Materialism is absent in this culture.

As if it's not bad enough that the other half of the galaxy uses currency and Renati has to give to receive, the exchange rates differ from location to location. How can something be worth 5 credits in one place, but 50 in another?

Five hundred had seemed a fair amount at the time. On Varas and Renati's last mission in Brakiri space they had 50,000 credits, barely enough for food and water to survive.

"500 credits can support two for a whole month on this station, consumption included", Varas cried.  
"Well we still have your 500, so nothing to be worried about", Renati commented sheepishly.  
"That _was_ my 500. My part was included in that"  
Renati went silent.  
"That's why I do the finances", Varas uttered and contemplated on their next course of action.

"Why don't we do what we always do when we're in a situation like this: ask for help", Renati said and directed herself towards one of the security guards.  
She explained the situation to him, but before getting in over his head, he directed them towards the security chief.

* * *

"What is it now Charles?", a Human, clearly disturbed, complained.  
"There are two people here with a problem, chief", he replied.

The man got up from behind his desk and walked towards the door.  
"And what problem do they have that you cannot fix yourself, Charles?", he spoke annoyed. The Earthforce veteran was puzzling his way out of another sticky situation one of his guards had gotten himself in, he had no time for heedless banter.

When he opened the door further, his eyes widened.  
"Oh, Minbari. That problem", he muttered.  
"I beg your pardon chief?"  
"Let them in", he said and strolled back behind his desk.

If there was one thing he had learned during his 15 years of reign over the Nkrko space station, it's you don't refuse help to a Minbari.

Regardless of the historical feud between the two races, chief Nigel Wells had received help from Minbari Religious Castes on the rare occasion they had ventured to the station.  
Naturally, it had surprised him at first. They simply do as you ask if it is within their reach, but of course, if you fail to help one...

Nigel remembered his days on Proxima III very well. War veteran, as any living middle-aged Human of today, he had taken over reign of this space station after the war as he did not agree with the military's vision any longer.

The lies, the atrocities, the endless schemes – they were no longer something they wanted to be part of. Nigel had managed to convince some of his officers to join him in exile on this station, something that still needed governing, only differently.

The men of his unit that had followed him knew of their government's corruption. They had all been part of the same incident, after all.  
"The Minbari do not take prisoners. They even shoot our civilian transports! Destroy them when you see them, show no mercy", had been the slogan fed by the military generals to the troops and people.

But Nigel knew this was not a whole truth. His company was captured by what he later learned were Warriors of the Fire Wings Clan on Proxima III. They questioned him and his men about their ships, their configuration and more tactically valuable knowledge.

You should have seen the surprise on the Alyt's face when she realised she had shot a civilian transport in orbit. Not all Warriors carried the same bloodlust, Nigel could testify to that.  
They were held captive until the Minbari surrendered at the battle of the line. Then, they were abandoned and as such set free.

Minbari were not as vicious as the Earth government had depicted them. If they could lie so obstinately about that, what else were the good people of Earth being deceived with?

Renati and Varas followed young Charles into the office and greeted the chief. In courtesy, both Renati and Varas had removed their hoods.

"Your problem lies with currency, I presume?", Nigel stated before they could explain the situation.  
He shocked the two by replying in a broken Vik. Apparently he had mistaken Renati for Warrior Caste.

"Indeed it does", Varas replied, in Vik as well. It would not be wise to offend the Human.  
"Alright, what do you have? We can trade something for you", he proposed.

The Anla'Shok looked at her friend, who shrugged her shoulders.  
"We have nothing of value, we're merely passing though", Renati elaborated.  
"Nothing of value? Surely, you must have something?", the Human insisted.  
"No we do not", Varas answered, "But if you could advance us some tokens, I'm sure our government will-"  
"Yeah yeah, I'm sure", he cut her off .

The chief sat in his chair, weighing out his options. In any case, he would have to help them out. But perhaps he could use this to his advantage. Bargaining with Minbari worked, as long as services were concerned, not goods.

"Alright", he spoke, having cooked up an idea.  
"I have a suggestion. You Minbari are of your word, we have established that. If you give me your word, I will see it as payment"  
"Our word on what exactly?", Varas asked in suspicion.  
"That you send one of your _Warrior Caste_ to train some of my men in efficient problem solving"  
"Efficient problem solving?", Renati replied, playing out her role.  
"My men have the tendency to either kill or miss. I want them to be more efficient at what they do.

Killing is only good when there can be no repercussions, but if you kill a raider his patron will send more to finish you off. This station only has a minimal set of defences, manpower as well as weaponry.

I want them to learn how they can take out enemies; cripple them if you like, without doing any harm"

His unexpected and daft proposal struck the Anla'Shok. Sure, put a Warrior here, in service of a Human. That's a good idea. However, perhaps there was something to gain from it.

Varas wanted to reply, but her friend held her back.  
"You have my word we will send you one of our own", Renati replied. Varas' eyes pierced her as she feared what her friend had dragged them into.

* * *

When the twosome had received their rations, they returned to the station's main hall.  
It was dying now, night shift coming into place Renati figured.

"Send him one of ours?", Varas tapped her friend on the bone crest. "Have you lost it? Do you know what a Warrior will do to the place?"  
Renati smiled at her friend's naiveté.

"Varas, what are we?", she asked .  
"Minbari", Varas rolled her eyes.  
"Yes and what else?"  
"Anla'Sh- Oh", Varas suddenly realised what Renati was playing at.  
"Seeing as the Human recruits are Anla'Shok, I will be keeping my word when we send one of them to help the dear chief out with his problems. I'm sure they'll welcome a friendly face", she smirked.

"By Valen Renati, you had me going there for a moment", Varas let out relieved.  
"Don't worry, another 5 days and we won't have to worry about this any more. I will pass a motion to Anla'Shok Na about passage of Anla'Shok on War Cruisers", she joked and paced onwards.

Suddenly, something stood in their path that seemed out of place. A structure carrying a rectangle, a square, a circle and a triangle.  
It was a bit larger than Varas and Renati and at least twice their breadth.

"What is it?", Varas asked and paced around it. No one was using it; there was no apparent use for it for that matter.  
Anyone walking by ignored it.

"I have no idea", Renati admitted.  
"It's just standing here", Varas replied and put her ear to the side of it. "There is no working mechanism inside. What could it be?"

Renati shook her shoulders and leaned against it with both her shoulders and a leg.  
"That's it!", Varas exclaimed, looking at her friend.  
"What?", she replied, stepping forward again with 'guilty' written all over her face.  
"It's a bed! It must be! Look at the way it curves around your back", Varas noted.  
"What do you know, you're right. It must be a bed then", Renati concluded.  
"Thank Valen we haven't had a decent sleep in days!", Varas said and climbed the structure.  
"I'll see you in 4?", she asked.  
"See you in 4", Renati replied and closed her eyes for a short, but necessary slumber.

* * *

In the middle of the night, based voices grabbed the attention of the Anla'Shok. They were near the G'Quan shrine, Renati estimated.

At the shrine, the Narn priest from the transport was giving a donation of half the credits he had 'earned' from the Minbari.

Out of the darkness, two figures jumped him, beating him simultaneously with a blunt object. The Narn tried fending them off, but two Humans out on money were not something one simply brushes away, even a Narn could.

"Shall we?", Renati motioned her friend into battle with a grin.

Overcoming the Humans was not much trouble for the Anla'Shok, who came out of the darkness with equal surprise as the Humans had.  
Fear-struck by something swift and deadly attacking them, the Humans soon fell to the floor and surrendered.

Renati did not leave hers much chance of explanation. Robbing in effect was a problematic enough concept when explained to a Minbari, but robbing a holy man...

"Freeze!"  
Apparently, there was station security.

The guards looked puzzled at the scruffy Narn and knocked-out Humans.  
"What's going on here?"

The Anla'Shok turned towards them and remained silent, as if pondering on the best way to explain the situation.

Slush.  
Slush.  
Slush.

The sound of something heavy being dragged across the floor distracted the two guards. In the distance they saw an immense Pak'ma'ra headed their way.  
"It's Mokey!", said one guard to the other, "Let's get out of here!"

The massive Pak'ma'ra approached the Anla'Shok. Unsure of the creature's intentions, Renati and Varas reached for their Denn'Bok.  
"Put away weapons. Denn'Bok do not hurt Mokey", the gulch voice spoke in Common. It sounded something in between a gurgle and a cough, quite difficult to understand.

Surprised at their opponent's knowledge, the two respectfully sheathed their weapons.  
"Humans, unreliable pests. Should never have recruited them", the giant complained.  
"And you! Should know better. Deposit money middle the night by yourself. Ignorant"

The Narn scoffed at the Pak'ma'ra remark. "But I am a Priest!"  
"Exactly. Priest should know better not to go looking for trouble. Trouble find even priests to test faith", the Mokey interrupted his TIRADE and turned to the Minbari.  
"You take money from Humans. Was rightfully yours anyway niece tells me", Mokey chuckled – or at least Varas hoped that's what it was.

"And leave Humans. They will learn lesson"

* * *

The five following days were not without boredom. The ship's humming was the best entertainment they had, until Renati scrolled through the data on her armguard.  
She found a picture of the Ancient Gaim in an attack with the swarm of insects her arm guard had taken.

For practical reasons, an Anla'Shok had a timer function installed in their arm guard, belt or whatever piece of garment it was he used for his data communication. A trait they took over from the Warrior Caste.  
The timer would fire a camera at a set interval. This way, they needn't worry about properly documenting the mission.

There was another picture she had purposely taken of the _bed_ they had slept on in the docking station.  
She smiled slightly and created a new message, attached with the two pictures and the sole message:

_The Gaim and the mystery. Enjoy_

"What are you up to?", a world-weary Varas asked.  
"Sending a message", Renati replied and entered the necessary data.  
"To whom?", the young Religious Caste asked, peering over her friend's shoulder at the display.  
"Shai Alyt Naroon and his crew. I figure they must be just as bored as we are, but with more legroom"  
The females chuckled.  
"You're right at that"

Twenty minutes after Renati had sent the message, her arm guard informed her of a new one.

_Gaim: Looks like a worthy opponent  
Mystery: What is it? Is it a ship? Fara thinks it's a chemical disposer – or a playground._

_We asked our lead engineer, he said it wasn't anything mathematical. It didn't add up (and stressed it didn't)_

"Sheesh, she's the bright light of the bunch", Varas commented on the odd relationship between concepts.  
"Let's really get them going", Renati grinned.

_It was comfortable_

Another message game back:

_What was?_

_The ball, the rectangle and the square._

This time, Renati sent another attached picture of Varas lying asleep on it.

It took a while, but then the next reply came:

_At least now we know its size, that cuts out some options. Next time, please send reference of size and whether it is alive or not.  
Question: Was it alive (Fara)_

Varas grinned. "Let me reply"

_No, not that I know of. Besides it was much more fun having the whole ship guessing what it was. At least you're not bored._

A quick follow up came:

_Yes thank you. We appreciate the change of pace...  
Anticipating next question before mid-day meal_

* * *

Next Chapter: **Celebrations of the Minbari people**

Coming soon! Stay tuned!

* * *


	21. C 21: Celebrations of the Minbari people

**Celebrations of the Minbari people**

Minbar.  
Beautiful from the surface, even more breathtaking from space.

The descent to the planet always felt somewhat divine, albeit unintentionally. Having such a view, knowing part of it belongs to you in memory – it is what classified as divine for Renati.

Though she did not have an actual 'home' with family and friends as most of her fellow Minbari did, she related to Tuzanor as her little nest, her place to call home. Logically, since she had spent the better of her time on the planet there.

Today they were not descending to Tuzanor as they normally did, but were in orbital trajectory towards Yedor, Minbar's capital city.  
Characterised by its large crystal formations and city carved out of the planet's very being, Yedor was one of the most captivating places to be.

Of the 2 billion and 303 million people of Minbari society, two billion had Minbar registered as their home. 82 percent of this population was urban, causing for all cities, especially Yedor, to be humongous in proportion.

The numbers may seem enthralling, but when compared to the 15 billion – 9 billion after the war – Humans and double the Centauri, it is obvious to any the Minbari are a dying race.

The city was divided in two large sections, an 'upper' and 'lower' level. This was because of the waterfall formation the three mouths of the rivers Temeor, Shesnshai and Lerh'mor made, naturally separating one level from the other.

The upper level contained most common usage places such as halls, arenas, gathering places and more, while the lower level was home to the inhabitants of the city of Yedor.  
The spaceport was located on the upper level.

Whilst descending Renati noticed there were far more Minbari ships present than normal.  
No specific type of ship, rather random types, but just a lot more then were supposed to be.

"What's with the crowd?", she wondered.  
"It's Minbar Renati, there are always a lot of ships", Varas responded.  
"Yes, but considerably this time"  
"I have no idea", Varas said uninterested. She dug deeper into the scroll she was holding, didn't even look out the window to check.  
Guess they wouldn't know until they docked.

* * *

The terminal saw grey with Minbari. Every Religious, Worker and Warrior must have ventured to Minbar this morning, but for what?

"I have a bad feeling about this...", Varas worried about what they had missed.  
"Oh come on, it can't be that big of a deal? As Anla'Shok we would have known before hand, it must be something last minute. Let's just ask!", perky Renati replied.

Before Varas could stop her friend, she had already tapped the shoulder of the old – Religious – man in front of her, presenting him a smile.  
"Raha'kaf(1), might you inform me of why there are so many people here today?"

Renati's sheepish smile confused the man.  
His sense of humour did not register her remark as funny, thus he replied sharply: "This is not a matter to be joked about"  
"I am not testing your wit Su'Val(2), I am merely inquiring the reason for the mass amount of people here", she responded kindly.

The old man's eyelids flashed in a blink to soothe his surprise.  
"Why I have never!", he uttered and turned around to his spouse again.  
"The younglings these days! In my day, you would be exiled for a crime such as this! Only a Warrior could sacrilege as such", he complained.

The female next to him gave Renati an evil glare. He would be on about this all day now.

The young Anla'Shok was insulted.  
"He thinks I'm Warrior Caste!", she whispered to Varas.  
"In this case I suggest you stay Warrior Caste to avoid bringing shame upon the First Fane of Chu'Domo. If what we have missed is big enough for a Religious Caste to deny you a reply, caution is advised", Varas wisely stated.

* * *

After a three and a half hour calm queue, they finally passed through customs.  
Well, customs was just a word for the location where you can collect your luggage, as Minbar has no off-world visitors other than Minbari, they don't need to check for anything.

Renati and Varas collected the little luggage they had and each received a folder which stated the different activities in the capital city for the next three days.

"It's Minbar! We live here, we know what goes around in our own capital city, do we not?", Renati mumbled in confusion, but was quickly dragged forward by Varas. When she turned to her friend to complain about the arm-jerking, she saw Varas' lips had grown pale.

"What is it?"  
"Just open the folder", she stuttered.

* * *

_**1000 year Valen commemoration. **_

_ Today we commemorate the 1000th year since Valen came to the people of Minbar. In order to make this a celebration worthy of his honour, we have prepared many festivities throughout the city for the next three days. _

_May this pamphlet be your guide for this miraculous event_

* * *

Renati stood frozen on the spot, goggling Varas.  
"We forgot about Valen day?", they uttered in unison.

"How scandalous!", Varas yelped.  
"How dare we!", Renati added in utter disbelief.  
"How could we?", Varas added again

"We will not be spared for this… we shouldn't be spared for all that is good in this world…"  
"May Valen forgive us", Varas spoke.  
"I think he's the last one to think of forgiveness at the moment", Renati quaffed.  
"We will do penance later"  
The two females continued their way out of the airport in disbelief of their own stupidity.

The folder had detailed descriptions of all available entertainment in the city for the next three days, including today's climax.  
For this event, Renati and Varas shared seat number 17.345.444 and 17.345.445  
Yikes.

"I would like to see if my grandmother is around and visit some of the festivities with her. Care to join us?", Varas suggested.  
"I would be delighted", Renati said sheepishly, grateful for her friend's thoughtfulness.

For the next three days, a lot of places would be open to the public when at other times they were not.  
Classic examples are the Religious Caste class of top children visiting the space platforms that are normally only visited by Warriors, or the curious Minbari visiting the Flarn factory.

So much to do in so little time! What would they do first?

* * *

Varas walked in her grandmother's house and saw her in a conversation with another elderly man.  
"Ah Varas! Good to see you're here, this is my good friend Dhurlat. When we were younger we studied at temple together. He came all the way from Sorpigal for this joyous occasion", Midiri explained as Varas bowed.  
"Honoured to meet you", Varas spoke.  
"Who is that behind you?", her grandmother spoke, "Is that Renati? Well that's been a while!"

Renati entered the room and bowed respectfully.  
"Glad to see you have both made it back for the Valen commemoration. It would be a shame to have missed this because of your duties", Midiri continued.  
"Yes, indeed it would have", Varas spoke nervously and looked at her fellow Anla'Shok.  
"But thankfully we made it back just in time!"  
She was careful with her phrasing on the last one, for she could not insinuate their timely return was deliberate, nor did she want to emphasise its coincidence.

"We were thinking of attending the festivities together", Varas proposed  
"Very good idea, we were just about to depart to see the Star Rider Infantry Parade passing through the centre soon", Varas' grandmother suggested  
"Oh and then the opening of the Valen Temple", her friend Dhurlat insisted as they left to enjoy the day.

* * *

The Warrior parade had been impressive but brief. Being on a tight schedule due to the grand show later that afternoon, none of them had time to perform extra little demonstrations for the children as they often did.

The company's mind was taken off the Warrior glory once they saw the revelation of the new temple before their eyes.

They were not alone: millions of Minbari attended the opening of the new Valen temple. They had spent a hundred years building it to absolute perfection. It was the life's work of a team of seven Master Crafters, with an unthinkably large work force supporting them.

Forged out of the purest of crystals, it would be the new home for thousands of Minbari students and teachers. The pinnacle of Minbari education, its constructors hoped.

The ceremony was not of the shortest. Everything was blessed and accounted for, from the smallest crystal to the largest sculptural depiction.

The highlight of the event was the actual opening of the temple.  
The door had been closed with a triangular seal, which was broken by a Warrior, a Religious and a Worker Caste pressing each corner of the triangle together.  
The massive door opened for the first time and allowed the public inside.

The temple emitted a bright white light due to the reflection of the light on the many, many different layers of crystal the temple had. It was breathtaking at the same time as it was soothing.  
There were many rooms for meditation, class rooms, training grounds, and much more.  
But most importantly: all was made available for every Minbari to see.

* * *

The summit of the day started late mid-day.  
All Minbari present gathered in the enormous Valen dome that had been built especially for that occasion.  
The Worker Caste had constructed it so that fifty million Minbari would fit in.

By curving the structure downwards into the crystal soil of the planet on one end and moving to the sky on another, they covered a lot more ground than a 'standard' coliseum would.  
It was absolutely enormous.

Fifty million unfortunately was only a small part of the population, but it would at least give the first arrivals the opportunity of seeing it live. Others would have to follow it on the gigantic projections in every large city on every planet in the system.

Renati, Varas, her grandmother Midiri and her friend Dhurlat had arrived at the dome well in time. The queue was formed orderly as usual, with no one being impatient. Everyone would be seated timely before the start of the festivities, haste was not a trait of the Minbari people.

Their distant seats still had a good view on the centre stage, as expected. There would of course be a large projection of the events atop the stage, showing wide shots and close ups of the events as they happened.  
Entertainment was perfected as well as everything else in their culture.

The roof of the dome was retractable, so there was no limit to the spectacle. The Minbari had programmed favourable weather for the day, there would be no inconvenience for the viewers.

The show started with the stage in the centre being lit up by Minbari fireworks. Unlike human fireworks, they are plasma based allowing them to be more colourful and more detailed. They usually opened up in circular or triangular shapes, but for occasions such as these, the most creative artists are let loose to express their visions.

The fireworks set the mood for the Minbari audience, which was amazed by the display of their ships' armada that followed.

Dozens of Sharlin cruisers flew over the dome, displaying their speed and agility and shaking the ground with their after burners.

Ahaelden – Fire Wings – skin dancer Nial fighters flew over the crowd and inside the dome. Sometimes they left only about half a meter's distance between themselves and the spectators.  
Some of the younger children stretched out their arms and were able to touch the smooth surface of the fighters as they sped by.

Ninety Nial skin dancers in total stunted their way through the dome, amazing the public. The timing at which the crafts crossed each other, showed of their excellence. All confident in their abilities, most of the pilots sat calmly in their cockpits as they rushed by one another.

As a finale, they sped up in a single formation and broke apart to twirl around their own Sharlin cruisers.  
An amazing sight that was hailed by much cheering. With this, the Warriors had opened the event.

Master entertainer Zaca, well-known amongst his people, would guide the Minbari public through the events of the evening.  
The first event of the day was a demonstration by the Vonilbok – the Wind Swords  
"Still the mightiest of the Warriors!", he welcomed them to the stage

198 Vonilbok Warriors marched up the stage together, demonstrating their craft with the Denn'Bok and their traditional Wind Sword blade in alternation. They all performed the same set of movements, but perfectly synchronous.

When seen from a distance, the spectacle looked like one giant Warrior force rather than individuals coming towards you.  
What a sight that must be for the enemy in times of war!

For twenty minutes, the crowd held its breath as the finest of the finest of the Minbari race showed why the Clan were as fearsome as they were reputed to be.

Memories of old resurfaced with the elderly, feelings of courage and awe were touched with the young ones, all of them connected to the same cause: the pride of the Minbari people.

To finish their show, the Vonilbok threw their Denn'Boks up in the air one by one and formed a spiral of constantly moving fighting pikes as they ran around to keep it going. With the hilts of their swords they tapped the falling Boks back into place.

In the final ten seconds every Warrior picked their own Denn'Bok out of the moving spiral, which was kept on the move until only nine were left.  
Those were thrown up again and caught in unison by their owners.

Together, the Vonilbok retracted their Denn'Boks, sheathed their swords and bowed for the crowd.

They were warmed by the cheers and compliments from the crowd. The young ones screamed their lungs out to show appreciation – not very professional, but accepted in context.

Such a display of power!  
Many had forgotten how impressive they really were.

Shai Alyt Branmer had not been part of the demonstration and neither had Akel.  
_How odd_, Renati thought.

"Look Va'mala(3), there are the Fi'sularae!", a little boy in the crowd near the Anla'Shok cried out.  
The man took the child on his shoulders, so the young one could better admire the demonstration of the power by the flamboyant Star Riders.

Masters of the Minbari equivalent of the shuriken, the Sularanai – literally 'objects from the sky' – they dazzled the crowd as they sent the little devices flying though them in order to hit the targets scattered along the dome.

The projectiles are plasma powered, so can fly a lot further than the strength of an arm's throw would bring them.  
They are used for numerous purposes amongst the Warrior Caste, the two most prominent being projectile weapons and locator devices.

Eighteen members of the Fi'sularae clan started off in the centre of the dome and threw their Sularanai at targets in the far ends of the dome.  
The targets were so small, they could not be seen with the naked eye from where they were standing. Therefore, each Warrior had a small visor on one eye to help them acquire their goal.  
Their shots were still manually targeted by nothing else than the Warrior's throw, they could just calculate the distance and position of their target more easily with the visor.

Some argued the use of it, since the Worker Caste could easily incorporate a locking system on them – and some models had – but the Star Rider clan refused to use those. Pride in their skill did not allow the ease of their work.

The skill was notable, to say the least.  
The finest Stars of them all shot their projectiles with such precision, they crushed the previous one every time a new one hit the target.

Every time.

Now that the crowd was warmed by their new heroes, eighteen more Fi'sularae appeared in the hallways separating the crowd, turning on their friends in the centre.  
Those attempted to continue their act, while in addition dodging the mini-stars being thrown at them by the others.

A nifty little detail: they were not using training weapons.

Again the audience watched in awe at the mastery of their own brood. Gasps and yelps sounded throughout the crystal dome when some of the Sularanai got too close to the children in awe, veneration even, of the spectacle.  
Too close in their mother's opinions of course.

The Warrior saw no harm in it, but enjoyed the females' agitation.  
Typical Star Rider behaviour.

Nevertheless, their performance was hailed by many cheers, salutes and applause. Master Zaca initially had some trouble breaking through the crowd's enthusiasm, but quickly gained control once the polite people realised he was speaking.

"And now, for a more enthralling display, please welcome the Shaibar'nik, giving their duty of protecting Minbar and environs for one night to their peers", he  
Zaca announced the demonstration of the Moon Shields' cunning with excitement.

As always, the light on the floating platform dimmed, and Zaca flew out of the picture in the dark without hindering anyone watching the spectacle

The dome's roof closed and blue moonlight emitted from the spotlights in the ceiling onto the stage.  
Fifty million Minbari witnessed the floor of the stage slowly transform in a large basin.

"Water Va'mala?"  
"Shhhh, just watch, you'll see", he hushed the child that looked at the display with greedy eyes.

Renati smiled at the young child's remark. His enthusiasm reminded her of the reason she joined the Anla'Shok: so much to discover!

Silence filled the room until suddenly, one Shaibar'nik broke through the perfectly flat surface of the water from below.  
She leapt up high in the air, greeting the crowd with a bow.

Her body was covered in one of the Clan's traditional outfits for aquatic demonstrations: a royal blue Crystalmesh Dress, which was attached to the body only by the way it folded around it.  
It had many 'extra' end, which hung in abundance next to the body when in rest, but once moving they transformed the Warrior inside to a spectacle of elegance.

The Shaibar'nik were the more gracious of the Minbari Warrior Clans. Where the Vonilbok excelled in force, the Shaibar'nik did in elegance.  
All of their preferred fighting styles were based on their refined taste of life. Almost all of them looked like well-practiced dances when performed.

Nevertheless, they were equally deadly.  
Their technique often left the enemy baffled or confused, and their speed was incredible. They had strived for thousands of years to find the perfect balance between beauty and efficiency and frankly, they have perfected it long ago.

The Clan of the Shaibar'nik had long been isolated on an island on Minbar in the older days, which is where they acquired the mastery over aquatic battles as well.  
Tonight, they would show only a blink of their capabilities.

As the first Shaibar'nik dove back into the water, seventeen more emerged from beneath and bowed simultaneously to the crowd and to each other on their way down.  
Renati derived from their garments they were all male.

Their traditional outfits for this type of event were different, but achieving the same effect. The tailoring of the extensions was adjusted to be less female, thus accentuating other parts of the body.

A preferred highlighted spot for many designers of these garments were the Shaibar'nik's lower arms, where they carry their arm guards. This brought out the intricate movement the Shaibar'nik hands crossed through the water with.

When Varas zoomed in with her Anla'Shok visor, she alerted Renati.  
"Isn't that Shai Alyt Naroon of the Tiris?"  
Renati took another look with hers and confirmed: "Incredible! It is!"

The soldiers were armed with arm guards, some projectile weapons Varas couldn't quite make out and their Denn'Bok.

Underwater recordings showed the crowd what happened in the sub-aquatic.  
There, the Minbari engaged in close combat with one another, using their arm guards and the projectiles that were water adept.

The reason they could stay under water so long is because the Minbari had developed an efficient breathing system ages ago.  
It was placed in the back of the mouth, against the top set of teeth, remaining invisible to the naked eye.  
The Minbari were masters of molecule manipulation, as the Denn'Boks proved, and had developed two different systems.

One breather already contained oxygen enough for 48 hours of breathing, highly compressed. The other had an unlimited amount as it converted water molecules to oxygen.  
All the carrier had to do, was take some water into his mouth when he wanted to breathe, like taking a breath but under water.  
Depending on the situation, the Minbari would select the correct tool for the job.

It was a play of dodging projectiles, back lashing them and distracting the enemy with movement that was very difficult to follow for any non-Shaibar'nik. Most Minbari in the crowd experienced the play as a dance, only the other Moon Shields saw the excellence of the ones on the other side.

Varas and Renati were both looking at Shai Alyt Naroon. His fighting was most impressive. He had a very good technique, with such a perfect timing that to them, he stood out.

Then something caught Varas' eye. She noticed that Naroon's arm guards had a light blue gleam on them that illuminated slightly every time he hit something.  
The coincidence was simply not mathematically possible in Varas' opinion, so she picked her friend's nose.  
"Renati? Are those your armguards?", she whispered, not disturbing the others in trance of the music and movement.

Renati smiled warmly. She was surprised, but felt privileged at the same time.  
"I gave them to him when I freed him on the Drahk war cruiser. He has asked me if he could keep them", she explained.  
"One of the Shaibar'nik _Warriors_ is wearing _your Anla'Shok_ armguards for this demonstration… what an honour Renati!", Varas exclaimed.

Perhaps there would be one ship of Warriors they could turn to when in need.

_We're going to need all the friends we can get_ she thought as she pondered on the closing battle.

The irony of this Valen day was striking her.

Here they were, the entire Minbari race celebrating over something they didn't half understand. Instead of celebrating they should be preparing for the battle.

The prophecy stated that after 1000 years, the Ancient Enemy would return. Instead of figuring out the countermeasures, the Minbari were dreaming in the honour of a half-god long gone.

_Have we fallen in disgrace?_ she wondered.

_Have faith in Anla'Shok Na_, she heard a friendly voice speak in her mind.  
_He will wake the people up, I believe in him_  
Varas looked at her friend and smiled. She was getting better at that.  
"You're right", she said.

Near the end of the display, the Shaibar'nik swam to the surface in unison and leapt up, higher than before.

Below them, the stage closed over the water, making the basin disappear. Just as the stage clicked into place, the eighteen Shaibar'nik landed on their feet on it, splashing the water off their uniforms onto the dry surface.

Again, the Warriors of the Minbari people were treated to a loud round of cheering.

More demonstrations followed from the Fe'endumar – Nightwalkers, some members of the Religious Caste and a select crowd of Workers, who each showed their own area of expertise, holding the crowd in awe for as long as they were allowed.

Near the end of the show, finally, the Anla'Shok were allowed to demonstrate their skills. Renati was surprised that at the current level of respect, they were even allowed in at all.

Eight of the most revered members stepped forward onto the stage.  
One of them stepped forward and F'hursna Sech Durhan, undefeated with the pike, to step up for a challenge.

Of course the Vonilbok accepted the challenge and unrehearsed, he fought the eight Anla'Shok members.  
The fight lasted over twenty minutes, but the intensity made it seem like an hour.

F'hursna Sech Durhan performed certain moved that even others of his clan had not seen demonstrated before, knocking the healthy and several-tens-of-cycles-younger-than-him Minbari off their feet.  
Truly a man of unprecedented creativity!

At one moment, he fended off two oncoming Anla'Shok with his Denn'Bok while another had leapt up in the air to strike him down.  
Without turning around, F'hursna Sech Durhan stretched out his hand and grabbed the Denn'Bok of his air assaulter, stopping him in mid-air. He spun him around and threw him to the other end of the stage.

Mind boggling!

The battle ended with none surrendering to the other, but all nine bowing to the public.  
F'hursna Sech Durhan of course feeling very pleased with his own performance for 50 million Minbari.  
Pride was something rooted deep amongst Minbari.

"We have reached the end of the ceremony, with one event left to inspire you", Master Zaca announced.

As he spoke those words the entire dome turned dark and the people's lips sealed. No one made a sound. _Not one_ of the _fifty million Minbari_ spoke, coughed or made any other type of noise.

Then, in the centre of the stage, a lonely spot light illuminated a figure cloaked in grey. Another followed, and another and another until nine spotlights revealed nine grey figures.  
They took of their hoods and revealed themselves as the Grey Council.

One of the Grey spoke to his people: "We will tell you about something long forgotten. May you carry it in memory henceforth"

A fireworks display of history took the Minbari from before the last Shadow war until now. mages described how the Ancient Enemy was defeated with the help of Valen, how their race as prospered in the thousand years since his coming and so on.

This while the Satai added the necessary background knowledge to complete the picture for all: Worker, Warrior, Religious.

On could summarise it as a large commemoration to Valen for all the good he had done for the Minbari people, as well as everything that has occurred over time because of his actions.

After the Council's display of history, another figure stepped onto the stage, in the centre of the circle.

The dark hooded man revealed himself as Anla'Shok Na, leader of the Anla'Shok. His pin shone bright in the spotlight pointed at it, illuminating some of the first row faces green.

Lennon warned the Minbari people that Valen had not only brought good to their culture by deed, but also by word. They were in no position to forsaken his teachings now

"Valen prophesised the return of the Ancient Enemy: the Shadows. A thousand years after his earliest encounter, they would return to our universe to wreak havoc once again", his voice bellowed darkness and fear throughout the previously overjoyed dome.

Anla'Shok Na listed a number of events which he read directly from an original copy of the book of Valen, laying on a pedestal in front of him.  
Events that had passed, events that were occurring now and some events that would occur in the future.

"We are not ready yet to face the Shadows. Although the Anla'Shok are growing in numbers, we need more support.  
Valen himself has warned us not to to take this task upon ourselves. We need to seek the help of other races in this", Lennon addressed the federation.

Of course, he was clever enough not to mention _which_ races were needed in the alliance. He was taking enough risk as it was pretty much telling the Warrior Caste they could not handle the enemy on their own.

Lennon's speech was not well-received by everyone, but he had delivered it nonetheless. Now they had all been undeniably informed.  
What happens next, is up to fate.

After this notion, Zaca traditionally ended the show and aspired the people to enjoy the Valen commemoration meal and the additional late night festivities.

* * *

**Footnotes:**

(1) - Rahakaf _(Adrenato)_: Excuse me

(2) - Su'Val _(Adrenato)_: Term used to politely address a male. Comparable to 'sir'. Literally: Honoured male

(3) - Va'mala _(Adrenato)_: Father

* * *

**Auth****or's remark:**

I'm not sure about the names of the rivers. I am in possession of a digital version of the Minbari Federation Factbook, but the page has that featured in a terribly small font. Unfortunately the page is also overcompressed, rendering the text unreadable. I zoomed in as far as I could and tried to make the best of the names.

If anyone knows the true names, please let me know! Anonymous comments are allowed!

* * *

Next Chapter: **Getting better acquainted**

Coming soon! Stay tuned!


	22. Chapter 22: Getting further acquainted

**Author's note before this chapter**

I just wanted to emphasise that the character we have been seeing a couple of times now with the name Naroon is _not_ the same as Neroon from the series. They are indeed two different people.  
Naroon is a Shai Alyt of the Moon Shields while Neroon is an Alyt of the Star Riders. We will see the Neroon from the series in later chapters as well, so for those fans who may be disappointed don't despair

For easier placement, I have included a small image of an early visualisation of Naroon (bone crest isn't correct but will be adapted in later sketches.

Please check www dot dream-grafix dot com slash naroonfara.jpg

(Artwork copyrighted by Kenny Meyskens)

On another note I want to thank all readers who have kept following the story so far. I promise we're getting very close to the main story now, just a tad more chara development, with the object of getting you all to care about / love / hate / ... the various characters before we start dramatising the lot

* * *

**Getting further acquainted**

"Let's see if we can find him!", Varas insisted. She couldn't believe they actually _knew_ one of the performers of the Valen commemoration ceremony! They had to find him.

She scouted through the lobby packed with Minbari looking for friends and family. Its design was created for people to meet up before leaving and, as ever, the Worker Caste had done a marvellous job.

The centre of the room lay lower than the edges, giving everyone a good overview, regardless of their height. As the larger part of Minbari society is smaller than the average Human, its design was not a superfluous luxury.

Of course, this wasn't the only such room in the complex, but Varas had a hunch the Shai Alyt would be there. How Varas came by her hunches, not even Valen knew.

But again she was right.  
In the distance, Renati noticed a now dry Shai Alyt Naroon amongst some other Warriors.  
"Shall we go and greet him?", she asked.  
"Of course! That's what we came here for", Varas insisted and made her way through the crowd, followed by Renati, Midiri and her friend Dhurlat.

The Warrior saw the females headed his way and turned towards them with a smile.  
"I hope you enjoyed the show?", he asked.  
"Most definitely Shai Alyt! It was incredible!", Varas replied, "I loved the diversity of it"  
Renati smiled at that notion.  
"Me too", she added, "I was surprised to see you as part of it"  
"I could not refuse the honour the Shaibar'nik had bestowed upon me", he spoke proudly.  
"Of course not. Your technique is astonishing. I would be honoured to learn some of those moves", Renati commented respectfully.  
"In exchange for some Anla'Shok stealth techniques, I would be glad to oblige", he smiled.

As he was about to get chatty with the females, Varas' grandmother came standing next to them.  
"Varas, you didn't tell me you had friends in the rank of Shai Alyt", she bowed to Naroon,  
"Honoured, brave Warrior of the Shaibar'nik. Your demonstration was breathtaking"

The Shai Alyt thanked the old Religious Minbari, but was interrupted again before he could continue – this time by his Alyt.  
"Shai Alyt, shouldn't we be heading back to the cruiser? They'll be ready by now", a clearly irritated female spoke.

She had been the ray of darkness in Renati's rainbow during their time on the Tiris. Why was she this hostile towards her?  
Yes she was Anla'Shok but come on, one would think she had proven herself by now.  
Renati found it pointless, Varas however found it amusing.

"Yes we shall, one second", the Warrior replied.  
"I would like to invite you on my ship, the Tiris. We have prepared a traditional Valen banquet and have room enough for all of the crew's friends and family. As Renati and Varas are two of my friends, I invite you all", he spoke.

Midiri flickered her eyes. Being invited by a Shai Alyt... she had never!

"We greatly thank you for this honour Shai Alyt Naroon", she quickly accepted the invitation before it vanished.

* * *

"Why in Valen's name would you invite a bunch of Religious Castes for a meal on a Sharlin, Naroon?", his Alyt gave it to him.  
"Don't be silly Fara. There are Workers on our ship as well", Naroon returned her comment.  
"Besides they are hungry", he smiled.  
"There are places for that on Minbar", she commented to deaf man's ears.

"The presence of new people makes the crew's conversations during our voyages through hyperspace so much more pleasant.  
Besides, those two Anla'Shok always have a pack of interesting stories to tell. I can't wait to see what they entangle themselves into next", he spoke in respect.

"Me neither", Fara replied with sarcasm.

* * *

The Shai Alyt had ensured his ship would not be on guard duty this year, for they had been for the past four. For this day, he had pulled a few strings that were well due pulling, to the delight of his crew of course.

The meal was served in the mess hall, the triangular tables positioned as such that people could have conversations with each other as they pleased.

Dinner itself was exquisite. The Tiris was truly blessed with an excellent cook, who joined in on the festivities.

Conversation during the meal was somewhat of an adaptation for Varas' companions, but thankfully a pleasant one.  
Renati and Varas took the attention at the start of the evening by having to explain what the artefact actually was they had encountered on their last trip.

"It was a piece of art", Varas clarified.  
She got a puzzled look from Renati. _It was?_

"My side had a small plaque on it. 'Basic shapes of the universe' was its title apparently", Varas elaborated and released the ship of its hold on the mystery.

Midiri was the talk of the night later on when it was mentioned she was a retired Anla'Shok. To her surprise, this crew held respect and awe for her stories. They even greatly enjoyed hearing them.

"In light of this, I would like to thank the Shai Alyt for playing taxi for my two _whelps_. I am sure they concur it outweighs public transport by far", she said with respect and light humour.  
Renati swallowed her juice the wrong way and added:  
"Until you start shipping around Pak'ma'ra that is, Shai Alyt", unleashing centre table and the two adjacent tables roared in laughter.

* * *

After dinner, the group dispersed somewhat, but most of them went to the common room to watch comedy night. On grand events such as these, it was tradition for the greatest Minbari comedians to entertain the people for several hours into the night.

Comedy night was an important relief of mind for many, the Shai Alyt being one of them. For seven days now, he had been nagging Fara's bone to a crisp about comedy night.

_Oh comedy night, it's going to be so great! _  
_They say it's going to be even better than at last year's System Tournament!_  
_We're going to be able to see it live! Live! No recording! But live!_

Etcetera.

Fara shook her head at her inscrutable commander, enjoying the show as one of the crew.  
He was seated between Kujar and Moran, grinning away at the jokes Master Jenimer and Inseval fed the public.

"We have to admit, one of the favourite subjects we enjoy quoting in our performances are the original ways other species try to pass through our space", Master Jenimer told.

"Indeed, my personal favourite would be the occasion on which there was a Narn who had painted a Centauri fighter - which he had stolen of course in Nial fighter colours.

The Warriors that discovered him were so stunned they hesitated at first. He had even sawn off and welded on parts of the hull to make it appear more like one of our own.  
After they realised it was not some sort of political trap the Narn government had set, they kindly guided him out of the system.

Needless to say, resistance was non-existent", Master Inseval reminisced while the audience was treated to the imagery of the Tinashi cruiser that encountered the phenomenon.

"Actually, I found the claim of Virij, the Pak'Ma'Ra even more intriguing", Jenimer spoke and played some footage.

The public saw an average size Pak'ma'ra flying a commercial liner of native built. At the border of Minbari space, he was halted by anAlyt'el commanding a Tigara on border patrol.

When _politely_ asking the creature to turn around and skiddy off, the Pak'ma'ra replied: "I was sent here by Valen to enlighten you"

The Alyt'el responded with a single burst", Inseval had his share of roaring the audience into laughter.

"Hilarious!", Moran laughed out loud.  
"Serves him right!", Kujar added in joy.

The Warriors were fully enjoying the spectacle the two Worker Masters had cooked up for the Minbari people.  
They had truly incorporated every aspect of humour in their show, from the funniest game of intonations until the typical reaction of an insulted Warrior.

Fara too was watching, however her attention sidetracked by the two Anla'Shok motioning towards Naroon.  
Quickly, her eyes logged their movement – and intentions.

The Shai Alyt removed himself from the crowd watching the projection when he saw he was needed.

"Shai Alyt, Varas and I are going down to the planet. As you well know, we've had quite the fourteen days in a box.  
We just want to go down to the celestial gardens and smell fresh air and flowers again. Thank you for your hospitality, but we won't keep your crew any longer", Renati bowed.  
"The pleasure was all mine", Naroon replied, but paused before going back to his seat.

"You know, that's actually a good idea. I think I'll join you", he pondered.  
"Don't you want to watch the rest of comedy night?", Varas wondered.  
"Oh don't worry, I'll watch the recording later", he replied.  
"I'll join you as well!", the Alyt's voice joined the other three.

Fire had filled her eyes after she had heard Naroon's dismissal of the one event he had been looking forward to for days.  
_He'll watch the recording? Have you ever... ! _

* * *

Public transport took them from the landing bay of the transport ship to the edge of the gardens.  
Varas loved venturing through the landscape in the well-windowed vessel. Most Minbari public transports resemble a mix of a human train and a monorail, however fully automated and without charge of course.

The vessel took them through part of the great city of Yedor, another remarkable sight. The structures in the capital of Minbari are of the highest craftsmanship. Every Minbari house is hand-made and carefully crafted, but the landscape of Yedor was reserved for the Minbari's finest.

Masters of crystal manipulation and architecture worked together to create the giants that withstood time.

The celestial gardens as well are proof of that genious. There size alone is something to account for.They stretch about the size of a Human mega-conglomerate city.

To keep people from getting lost or getting in there for longer than anticipated, several 'roads' are advised on various information panels spread throughout the gardens.

"So which one are we taking?", Varas wondered.  
The display showed the title of the tour and the distance in kilometres, but for the description you needed to touch the title once again.

She scrolled through the titles:  
'The Valen road  
The Crystal road  
The Faunar road  
The Flouran road

And the list went on.

They were all promising but which one to take?

"Let's just take the shorted one", Fara said with light irritation in her voice and took the lead.

Fara and the Shai Alyt walked up front, followed by Renati and Varas who were heavily conversing with one another.

They had forgotten bow beautiful the gardens were. Rich in trees, plants and flowers as well as life.

A couple of Muad(1) were harvesting food for the Winter to come. The mother held the small nuts she had gathered between her little teeth as three little ones followed behind her.  
Winter would be long, but then again the Minbari only had three seasons - Autumn, Winter and Spring – which varied in length.

Spring is different on Minbar than on Earth. It lasts longest and allows two sets of flourishing for plants, flowers, wheat variants and so on. Productivity is much higher than on most planets in the system because of this.

To compensate for the intense usage, Autumn was the shortest to allow for a long Winter in which the soil can recover.  
Because of its short time span but beautiful framing, Autumn on Minbar was the favourite season of manier Minbari.

Fara was annoyed at the constant lagging behind of the two females.  
"Why do they have to be so slow paced?", she muttered.  
"Fara, give them a break", Naroon spoke, lightly authorotive.  
"They have been in a box for the past two weeks and so have we, only a bigger one. Give yourself the chance to enjoy the night"  
The Alyt wanted to reply to his comment, but better judgement discouraged her from doing so.

"Look over there!", Varas pointed out when they crossed a bridge over a small pond. On one of the leaves floating on the pond a Trek sat. Treks belonged in the Minbari category of 'hideous' creatures, resembling Earth frogs, but with more skin.

"If you kiss the Trek, a Shai Alyt in a silver Nial fighter will come swoop down to be at your service for the rest of his days", Varas told thefable as seriously as she could.  
"Really?", Fara suddenly carried and interest in the Anla'Shok.  
Renati swallowed her laughter at the basterdisation of a Human legend.  
"Yes, let me tell you", Varas continued and unintentionally lead Fara away from the bridge.

Naroon stood looking at the Anla'Shok leaving with his Alyt – perplexed.  
"That must have been the weakest story that I have ever heard", he spoke unable to figure how Fara managed to fall for it.

"What do you mean?", Renati asked innocently.  
"A Shai Alyt in a silver Nial fighter?", he rolled his eyes.  
"It's a Human legend", Renati said through a chuckle.  
"Figures", he replied grimly.

"The Humans have a legend that if you kiss their equivalent of a Trek, he will turn into a Prince. A Prince with them is like Prince with the Centauri", she explained further.  
"And that's a good thing?", he raised a brow.  
"It is if you're a young maiden in need of help with your inner self", she clarified with a smile.  
"Really now?"

An amused smile curled the middle-aged Shai Alyt's lips.  
"I now see the underlying emotional value of the legend", he replied with a tease. "But why a Trek?"

"Because it's very ugly and you would never want to kiss it. It is perfect proof that appearances deceive", Renati elaborated.  
"Yes, but it's poisonous", Naroon noted.  
"Yes, exactly. It means taking a risk.  
Think about it, it might not be a special Trek, it might be just a regular Trek. But if you catch the right one, it might transform.  
Would you risk kissing it?", she posed a hypothetical question.  
"Risking death in a gamble for true love?"  
"Yes, comes down to that"

The Shaibar'nik leaned on the bridge's railing next to Renati and stared at the creature, pondering about the legend.  
"It's not half that bad a method actually. Of course a foolish fantasy such as that would never work for a Minbari, but-"  
"I know, for lesser species", she added with a smile.

The Trek jumped off the leaf in reach of an insect. Its big mouth left no escape for the poor creature, no mercy.  
"I see your disdain for the Humans runs deep", Renati diverted the attention from the distasteful spectacle.  
Grim laughter preceded the Shai Alyt's short, but clear reply: "Yes. It does"  
"Try working with them", she said with sarcasm as he turned to look at her.  
"Yes, what was that about?", he asked, completely puzzled at why someone would voluntarily do so.

Renati grimaced in memory and explained.  
"It was Anla'Shok Na's way of punishing me"  
"What did you do? Destroy his house? Forget to feed his Gok? Poison his Flarn? And then lied about it?!"  
Surely such harsh punishment must have been preceded by a truly unforgivable deed!

"No, I had a bit of mishap with a Vorlon ship", she met his puzzled gaze. "Let's just say it's not a good idea to fire a continuous beam into hyperspace…"  
"You fired _into_ hyperspace?!"  
"Unfortunately, I had no other choice"  
"You always have another choice!"

"Yes, well at the moment, the other options were not exactly presenting themselves to me, Shai Alyt", she defended herself.  
"You _never_ shoot into hyperspace", he condemned her action.  
"Yes, well, I know why now", she winced, "Hence I had a harsh punishment coming"

In his mind he weighed the punishment to the act, figuring she had paid dearly for her mistake but had been incredibly lucky at the same time.

Firing a continuous beam into hyperspace gets messy, to say the least. Rapid fire, that you could get away with, a short burst of a beam at max, but a continuous beam? Not a chance.  
Normally, the ship's engines would explode from the mere feedback of energy from the hole blasted between the two. There was a one in a million chance it didn't.  
She had been lucky, incredibly lucky.

"How can you work with Humans and train them into Anla'Shok after all they have done to us? How did you get over your hatred for them?", he wondered, expecting a convincing answer.  
"I didn't"  
"Then why?"  
"Because Anla'Shok Na ordered me to"

An uncomfortable silence completed the series of serious talks. Too serious to Renati's liking, this was not what she had hoped for that night, not what she wanted.  
For one time she wanted to forget the severity of duty and enjoy life, the homely environment and the company of a friend.

"Actually, it's your fault", Renati blurted.  
Naroon stood perplexed again at her unexpected outburst.  
"My fault?"  
"It's your uniform"  
"My uniform is the reason that you got punished", he replied squinty-eyed.  
"It reminds me of the war, that's the reason I brought it up", she explained.  
"Well, what do you want me to do? Reject my legacy and dress in black?", he teased her for her garments, as well as trying to steer the conversation into something more pleasant.

Renati tilted back her head and inspected Naroon from head to toe. Thinking out loud she spoke: "Actually, I think you'd look pretty good in black"  
"You're serious?", the Shaibar'nik was puzzled.  
Hiding a grin, Renati walked past him, continuing along the bridge.  
"Nah, I'm kidding. _You_ would look good in anything", she replied playfully.

* * *

"Look who's found a new friend", Renati hinted at Varas when she and Naroon had closed the distance between themselves and their friends. The two females seemed entirely caught up in one another's stories. Fara hadn't even noticed the absence of their companions.

"Well those are two characters who can change the universe. Imagine their combined efforts", he joked.  
"Oh yes, definitely", Renati heartily agreed.

"What's her problem anyway? She's always so… _on edge_", Renati finally asked what had been troubling her for some time now.  
"Do you make her run triple shifts?", she joked.  
"No, she does that herself actually. She's a very good second", he replied in truth. "It's just her personality"

"Well she's a bit odd", Renati did not take satisfaction in his answer.  
"Now that I can't argue with", he smiled in friendly thought, "She has more good sides than her personality allows her to show. People are afraid of her and that always helps in a position of command"  
Renati simply nodded in agreement, not sure what would be an appropriate reply.  
"That and she always makes me look like the most merciful Shai Alyt to have ever served", he joked.

A warm laugh of Renati's accepted that explanation, but was curious for more.  
"So you've known each other for a while then?", she queried.  
"Yes, we went to crèche together"  
"Oh that's nice"  
"What about the two of you?", Naroon wondered.  
"I only met Varas in Anla'Shok training actually. We were the only two who nobody else would talk to, so we started talking to each other"

The story sounded funny at first, Renati was smiling as she told it even, but then the pain of being outcast sunk in.  
"Why wouldn't they talk to you?", he asked while sort of knowing the answer.  
"I'm different", Renati admitted, "I'm not exactly what you would call _standard_ Religious Caste"

That she was not. In fact, that was the sole reason he was conversing with her still. She was so different to the usual stuck-up high and mighty Masters and Sechs he dealt with, it felt like a cooling breeze on a warm summer day.  
Proof that there was hope for the Caste yet.

Renati looked down, concentrating on something other than she had just said. Naroon looked at the side of her bone crest and noticed it was carved differently.  
"Well it can't be just that", he hinted at it.  
"Maybe you're just socially impaired", he taunted.  
"Socially impaired?!", Renati chattered out some laughter.

"Thank you Shai Alyt!", she complained and playfully punched his shoulder.  
"Don't worry, I will teach you", he mocked friendly.  
"Ah! The Warrior will teach me", she shook her head. "Alright, what do you want me to teach you in return? Want me to teach you how to fight decently?"  
He smirked at her little misstep.  
"Deal"

Renati's eyes filled with the realisation of the trouble she had gotten herself in.

Yes, fight one of the renowned Shai Alyt of the Shaibar'nik!  
She was in for a beating….

"But not here", she tried weaselling her way out, "I wouldn't want to disturb the atmosphere that is being set by the incredibly numerous amount of couples"  
Apparently, the gardens were excessively romantic tonight.

Naroon shrug his shoulders as he slowed his pace again for her. Renati could get so lost in looking around and absorbing the surroundings, she forgot about everything else.  
"And it has absolutely no effect on those two", he pointed at their friends ahead of them.  
"Actually, I would worry if it would", she joked.  
"Oh it's just more exciting that way", Naroon replied while fastening his pace to hide a grin. This time it was Renati who stood perplexed at his brazen comment.  
How could he!

Biting his lip not to burst out in laughter, the Shai Alyt was amused beyond his days at the naiveté of his Religious companion. She was so clever, yet so easily guided.  
He absolutely loved it.

But he could not let her endure the shock and turned to face her carrying his playful grin.  
"Religious Castes", he shook his teasing bone.  
"Warriors! You're incredible!", she replied embarrassed and speedily caught up with him. Naroon couldn't hold back a thundering laugh after seeing the expression on her face. Worth a star ship!

"What's so funny?", Fara asked, not pleased at her Shai Alyt's indiscretion.  
She didn't even know the half of it.

Naroon was so amused, he decided not to spare Fara neither.  
"Oh nothing, we were just discussing your Si'Fran (2)tendencies", he joked, but the joke was not well-received. While Renati's lips turned pale with shame, Fara launched a first at his stomach.  
"Si'Fran tendencies, I'll show you", she grunted and hit him further, but he playfully fended off the rest.  
"Come come, Fara, I was just jesting", he said, still carrying a smile of enjoyment of her frustration.  
"Urgh!"

The Alyt had no words she could decently say to him and ran off. "No, wait!", Varas, worried and ran after her newly found friend.  
"See?", Naroon commented while stroking his bruised stomach.

This time Renati saw the humour of the situation and even smiled. She shook her head in disbelief of herself and looked at him.  
"You are… unique", she admitted.  
"So are you", he threw back at her.  
"I am…- yes I am unique actually. Unique... I like that", she got caught up in his comments, but Naroon couldn't hold back another laugh.

"So, _unique_ Renati, where do we go from here?"  
"I think we turn around the kiosk there and go back. We just follow them", Renati replied, missing the point.

A faint grin graced his lips. The amusement to her naiveté was never ending.  
"Yes, let's"

* * *

Naroon figured they must be more than halfway through the walk by now. It was a beautiful road as the gardens had promised.

The starlight road.

There were so many stars in the sky, he didn't know where to look first. Of course, most of the systems up there he had visited, unless it was light from a long lost star. The Shai Alyt was one of the few fortunate Shaibar'nik that got around the universe once in a while.

Normally, the Shaibar'nik are stuck with defending the system, but even though they do it with utter devotion, when there is no war it is beyond boring. Thus he pulls strings wherever he can to get off world missions to entertain his crew and himself.

Perhaps that's why he didn't mind taxiing the Anla'Shok around the universe. Or was it because he enjoyed her company?  
The Warrior's mind was undecided, however something inside him made him ponder.  
But how did she feel?

Naroon had troubles keeping his thoughts straight. He did not know for sure if Renati realised what she was doing. Sometimes he thought for sure she was toying with him. For example when she kept stepping on his toes or bumped into him while looking at the stars.  
Surely, she could not be that clumsy? She was Anla'Shok!  
But there were other times…

"Look at that one", she brought his attention back and pointed at one of the stars glowing red.  
"Beaufi- Ah, Renati!", he yelped. The road in front of them suddenly took a slope downwards, but in her entrancement Renati hadn't noticed. She lost her balance and fell against him.

Unfortunately for her, Naroon was not prepared to handle the push of her full weight against him and they tumbled aside, down the grassy hill next to the path. After a short, but fast tumble they landed in an uncomfortable position. Her arm trapped in his leg, his leg doesn't bend that way….

Chortling at their own clumsiness, he disentangled his limbs from hers as she moaned: "That's actually painful!"  
"But a lot safer if you want to watch the stars!", he replied, still sniffling.  
"You know, I actually think we've lost them", Renati noted.  
"Yes, I think we lost it", his voice spoke as if he didn't mean to say the words.  
"Sorry?"  
"Them. Yes I think we have lost them"

Both Naroon and Renati enjoyed the view of what they were so familiar with: the blanket of stars. Both were on their back, the tips of their bone crests facing each other.  
Their breathing slowed as they listened to the faint talks from the couples in the distance, the noise the night insects made and the comforting flow of water from the stream running at their feet.

Renati turned over to lie on her abdomen and watched the back of the Warrior's bone crest. The ridges were deep, but well decorated.

The outer sprouts shaped in an elegant curved motion outwards, while the others seemed to flow into the same point.  
He had one spike on each side that reached from his temples up, curved back inwards towards the top of his scalp, and ended with a downward motion near his blue patch.

It was a typical Shaibar'nik thing. She had seen it on several demonstrations, but it was the first time she noticed. It must be quite difficult to get it that way.

"Do Warriors carve their own bone?", she prompted him out of nowhere.  
Naroon titled his head backwards, viewing the Anla'Shok upside-down.  
"Yes we do"  
"Hmm. That explains", she replied.  
"Explains what?", he asked as he rolled onto his front.  
"When I was in crèche, all the other Religious Castes, my friends – well not exactly friends, the other ones who were in crèche – went to one of the Worker Castes to get their bone carved.  
But Akel would never let me go. She carved my bone, but I never understood why, but that makes sense now", she smiled.  
"Yes it does", Naroon replied, realising more than he was letting out.

It sunk in with Renati how much her mentor had tried to keep the Warrior traditions alive with her, regardless of her upbringing. Small, subtle things she had incorporated while raising her.

"So does _Akel_ still carve your bone or do you do it yourself now?", Naroon continued as a tease.  
"Actually, she does. She's my mentor. Warrior, obviously, but she's harsh. Good for me though", she smiled but failed to see Naroon's.

"You know, if you're free, she's giving a party in two days", Renati spoke.  
"She is", Naroon replied neutral.  
"If you like, you can join us? I'm sure there will be lots of Warriors and probably some people you know", Renati suggested.  
"I'm sure there will be people there I know.", he replied, "Alright, why not. I'll be there"  
"Great!", Renati replied.

When a hand reached out to her, she grabbed it but was pulled on her feet much faster than expected.  
"Well, you're a light one!", Naroon uttered shocked at his own strength.  
"You sure earned that title", she countered back with a smile.  
"Let's go, before they get worried or we find them… behind a bush", she tried to fit in with his strange humour, but remained uncomfortable.

"Look, there they are", he pointed out after a small walk.  
The two females greeted their friends, one with a demonic face, the other hiding her thoughts.

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Muad _(Lenn'A)_: Minbari equivalent of Mice. They are slightly larger and tend to jump rather than run. Therefore, their hind legs are more developed, but aside from that their physiology resembles the Earth mouse closely.

(2) - Si'Fran _(Vik)_: indicating love between two females. Generally not spoken of in Minbari society, but accepted in appropriate Warrior and Worker context use

* * *

Next chapter: **The party**

Coming soon, so stay tuned!


	23. Chapter 23: The party

**The party**

The Sim'ka(1) at Midiri's door informed the old woman she had a visitor.  
"Yes?", she inquired.  
"I bring you two parcels Sal'zha, one directly from Master Zuca", a middle-aged voice replied.  
"Oh,vehle'mer(2), please come in"

The vehle'mer did as requested, but enjoyed the offered cup of tea of the morning. Delivering courier and parcels is another well respected job in Minbari society, because the couriers gain responsibility for the item they carry for the trajectory from the producer to the receiver.  
Touching the work of a Master is a privilege by itself, but actually receiving custody over it sort of speak is the honour that befalls the Minbari postmen.

They follow a system similar to Human post officers, with the difference of the postman based not on proximity, but on level of importance of the parcel.  
An acolyte vehle'mer can only deliver generic letters, nothing personalised. It is only once one becomes a journeyman that more responsibility – and thus more delicate items – is given.  
And of course, as with every profession, the Master grade can be acquired as well.

Today Midiri welcomed a Master vehle'mer, a rare event, even in her long lifespan. But his visit was as short as his rarity of occurrence, as he had more deliveries to make and a time schedule to maintain.

"Varas, Renati, your packages have arrived", she informed the younglings once her guest had left.

"Packages?", Varas came bewildered from the backyard.  
"We only ordered one?"  
"Master Insivi handed me two, one addressed to you and the other to Renati"

Midiri handed each of the females a package concealed in a cloth sealed with a ring.  
Varas unwrapped the first package, delighted with the result. In her hands she held he handwritten copy of the original poems of Korava.

Korava was a Warrior who lived over five thousand years ago, who held no rank. He had not even attained the right of Kor, but was one well-remembered amongst all who had seen war.  
It is said that the night before each battle, he would write poems about the crew, capturing their lives. These tales ranged from sad to heroic, as a testimonial documentation of their lives.  
The combination of the power of the stories and his exquisite writing style caused him to be a favoured writer of many young Warriors today.  
One of them, albeit not so young anymore, was Akel.

Of course, they had ordered this item several years ago – a Master usually has a tight schedule – but the requested date said today. Requests were never delivered too late. If there is any doubt in making the deadline, the request is simply denied.

"So what's the other parcel then?", Varas gazed at the still hidden surprise in Renati's hands.  
The Anla'Shok untied the ring from the cloth and revealed… some piece of garment and a letter?

The letter read:

_"This garment is part of the dress code for the night. Please do not embarrass me by forgetting to wear it.  
- Akel"_

Varas snickered at the typically parenting behaviour of their mentor.  
"Good thing _you're_ her prime student", she mocked Renati's situation.

Yes, sure, Akel was mentor of both Anla'Shok, but it has always been Renati.  
Renati and Akel had a chemistry between them Varas would never share. Not that it was a problem, in fact Varas rather enjoyed the lack of it for it kept her from sticky situations such as these.  
Akel did have a certain preference, but given her background Varas did not carry any remorse. The fact that she too was one of Akel's students was good enough for her.

Renati looked puzzled at the piece of cloth in her hands.

_How does it work?_

She turned and twisted the thing, trying to figure out what exactly it was. Was it a new type of cloaking gear? Was it some sort of fireproof cloth? Perhaps something more technological given the thinness of the fabric.

Then she realised: it was a dress.

"Is she out of her mind?", Renati exclaimed.  
"What's the problem?", Varas wondered, forming the silhouette of the garment in her mind.  
"She cannot expect me to put this on!"  
"If she states she wants you to stick to the dress code, then stick to the dress code. It's probably a ritual of some sort"

"I don't remember it being part of the ritual last year!", Renati protested. She held the piece of cloth between thumb and finger with an elongated arm, far away from her body as if it carried some sort of disease.  
"Perhaps it's a Vonilbok tradition for when they turn 109? You know Warriors and their strange habits", Varas comforted her friend.  
"Do I ever"

The dress was odd – even for Varas' taste – but a request is a request.  
Lucky her, she's not the prime student. She would get to pick her dress, consistent with the dress code of course.

* * *

Renati and Varas arrived at the party together, their coats tightly wrapped around their bodies.  
The Minbari hadn't programmed nice weather for today, so it was raining as the planet decided. The weather was only predefined in times of need – for social or structural reasons – otherwise it was pretty much left to its natural flow.

The rain was drizzly, but not pouring down. Walking around in this warm but moist environment was actually enjoyable, were it not for Renati frantically keeping her dress from getting wet. It was revealing enough as it was.

Once inside, the coats came off and Varas jittied into the crowd. Dragged along by her friend, Renati looked uncomfortable when she noticed her reflection in some of Akel's crystal art pieces.

Her dress was tight fitting, cut to accentuate the natural curves of her body, long-sleeved and with a V-neck. It comforted her somehow that it reached until her toes, though the splits in the side – designed for easier movement – added to her discomfort.  
The tail of the dress was coated in several layers of fabric, creating an elegant image of its wearer.

Despite the excessive amount of fabric this dress had from the waist down which shaped the elaborate freckles and folds, Renati had never felt more naked in her life.  
It was too tight-fitting. The fabric gave no more comfort than snakeskin and the based cut just topped it off.

_At least I won't be alone_, she tried comforting herself, but was disappointed when she saw Varas in a similar dress, albeit without any low chest cut or any cuts on the side.  
"Varas, you promised!", she complained.  
"What?", Varas grinned and turned around, revealing a cut-out until the lowest part of her back.  
Renati's jaw dropped. The nerve!

"Don't look at me like that, at least I'm not wearing it the other way around", she teased. They ventured in the next room together, looking for their mentor in this crowd of – in Valen's name so many! – Warriors.

Not only that, but Renati was the only one with a dress as revealing in front as hers.  
_Why that little…_

Picking out her bone in any crowd, Renati dragged Varas to Akel.  
"Oh Renati, Varas! Glad to see you made it! And you wore it, good", she welcomed them.  
"Yes", Renati replied with clenched teeth, "I do not see many others wearing the same type of _garment_"  
"They're Warriors", Akel defended.  
"But several of them are female", Renati insisted.  
"But they're Warriors", Akel shook off her comment.

Renati bit her lip, forcing back a reply.  
"Here you are", Varas intervened by placing the gift in Akel's hands.  
"Oh thank you", she said respectfully and motioned she would open it later, as was customary with Minbari.  
"Alright, we'll go and… mingle", Renati replied displeased.

Varas had no problem mingling. She had more attention than a Centauri giving away free Brivari on the market square.  
Renati tried staying with her friend through the crowd, but the faster her pace, the more her bosom moved, the more annoyed she got.

The Warrior crowd of course took great pleasure in seeing the worried little Religious Caste trying to catch up with her popular friend.

It was to no avail, for the flock of males around Varas did not allow Renati passage. Eventually she gave up.

* * *

Somewhat into the party, Renati had socialised with some others, albeit partially against her will. It was striking how they tried to politely ignore her first, until she revealed her identity as Akel's apprentice.  
A thickening plot, surely.

"Renati, do you have a moment?", Akel's familiar voice called out from closer than expected. "I have an old friend I would like for you to meet"  
Akel took her apprentice with her to one of the attending Warriors.  
"Akel! How have you been?", he asked as he greeted her.

Greetings were another important ritual amongst Minbari. One could tell a lot from two people's relation from the way they greet each other.

A normal greeting between strangers is done by bowing at a meter's distance from each other, holding the hands cupped near the abdomen, with opposite thumbs touching and thus forming a triangular shape.

A greeting between familiars, regular friends and such was done at a closer range. The pair would hold up one hand with elongated fingers and place it against the other's. With this greeting as well, a bow follows.

A more intimate greeting was reserved for very good friends, family members, and so on. Here, the hand that is placed against the other's in the familiar greeting, is now placed on the other's chest.  
When bowing, the front of the heads touch briefly amongst Workers and Warriors. The Religious Caste tend to maintain minimal distance.

The most intimate greeting is of course reserved for lovers, who follow the ritual mentioned last, but for a longer time span and with the other hand wrapped around the back or waist of the other.

Renati froze on the spot when she saw Akel placing her hand on Shai Alyt Naroon's chest and bending forward. Their foreheads briefly touched and she smiled.  
"I was happy to hear you could make it this time. Not on the other side of the universe for a change?", she teased.  
"I can say the same from you Akel", he did not let her get away with any type of insult, however harmless its intentions may be.  
There was a certain feist between them, hard to define. Of course, it only added to the Anla'Shok's discomfort.  
It was not Renati's day…

"Naroon, I want you to meet Renati of the First Fane of Chu'Domo, my apprentice. Your proper introduction has been way overdue", Akel gestured for the two to greet.  
Renati looked into the Warrior's eyes but did not speak up. She did not want to disrespect him in front of Akel, for she did not know if Akel was aware of the fact that they had already met.

Of course, there was the time on the Tredano, where Renati had broken him free from a Drakh confinement, but that moment had been so brief and chaotic she doubted Akel would remember it.

He walked up to her and presented his hand. To Akel's surprise, Renati put hers against his and greeted him.  
"So you two know each other?", Akel commented.  
"We've run across one another in the past year", he admitted, but found not the comprehension he was looking for.

Renati was not amused. Perhaps she couldn't take a simply joke or perhaps she felt cheated – who would tell?  
In any case, she did not want to be stuck in this web of sticky mysteries any longer. She'd had enough discomfort for one night.  
"I'll let you two catch up", Renati excused herself without room for protest.

Akel looked at the Shai Alyt and remained there, just watching.  
"What?", he asked, feeling uneasy with her gaze.  
"You know her?", Akel raised a brow as well as she could.  
"Yes, space is not that big", he passed over her remark  
"And we came across each other again on the Commemoration Day"

"Yes, but Naroon… that look", Akel outed her concern.  
Yes, she had noticed the way he looked at her apprentice. Of course, her dress probably wasn't helping the matter. The question is: was it just the dress or did Naroon's interest in Renati run deeper?

"What look?", he replied in a neutral voice.  
"Nothing; I will ignore it and see where it goes", Akel sighed, unsure if she was happy about his supposed interest in her apprentice or not.

If she could wish anyone for Renati, she would wish a man _just like_ Naroon, but not Naroon. He was Warrior, she was Religious. Nothing but trouble can come of it, Renati is living proof of that fact.

Then again, it was not her call to make. She had not intervened in the past, she would not this time. Perhaps it was better to let things play out as they did, he would lose interest eventually. After all, she _is_ Religious Caste. What could the two of them possibly have in common?

"Just be careful", she warned him, not sure of that last thought.  
"Aren't I always?", he jested.

"So old friend-"  
"Hey hey, it may be my birthday, but I am not old just yet", Akel cut him off.  
"As you wish, Akel. Of course, that means we should treat each other like equals, so now I will never again greet you with the respect of an elder", the tease was never ending between Warriors.

Akel could not win the word games of her equal in rank and thus solved the situation the only way she saw fit: she punched him on the shoulder.  
"Go get yourself a drink! Elder, my bone…"

* * *

Not long after having greeted the Shai Alyt, Renati noticed his Alyt joining the party as well.  
If anything, she had taken the dress code to heart. Her garment was simply scandalous. She was wearing the tightest full dress – ever. No creases, no folds, everything perfectly streamlined her body.  
Renati wondered which Worker Caste was responsible for it. She didn't find it elegant at all, too affronting.

When she walked by she saw the back of the dress, where pieces of cloack emerged from a ruffled state and carried on into a long train of cloth that slid across the floor when she moved. The front was affronting, but the back elegantly female.  
Typically Fara.

The design was apparently a creation of a very well known Minbari clothes designer. However she didn't get more than a friendly greeting from Naroon. He was probably the only Minbari in the room who was not gawking her – including the females.  
Fara was disappointed.

In the meantime, some female Warriors engaged in a conversation with Renati.  
"I see that certain individuals have chosen remarkable garments for the night", one of them spoke.  
"Yes… Akel told me this would be the dress code for the night", she admitted shyly. At first, the Warrior was confused, but then she seemed to get it.  
"Oh! You're her apprentice, aren't you?"  
"Yes…"  
"So that's what she was talking about!", another blabbered. Again, Renati suddenly became instantly socially accepted. The males got a jab from the females, with the remark that she's Akel's apprentice.  
"Oh no wonder!", they replied.  
"She's really cruel you know", the first one spoke.  
"Yes I know", Renati said and lowered her head.  
"No, you don't understand. Come with us", one of the two females spoke.

"Normally we wear dresses like that, but we were forbidden by Akel. 'To learn my apprentice a lesson', she had said, but we didn't know how or what. Now we understand. We are sorry you got caught up in this, but don't worry – you look fabulous", they assured her.  
"Apparently not everyone took the note to heart", a sneer came from one, but the thought was not lingered upon.

"She wanted you to be noticed", the taller one spoke.  
"I don't like being noticed, I'm noticed enough as it is", Renati complained.  
"I'm sure, but she wanted you to be noticed in a good way for a change. A lesson to show you attention isn't always bad. Hence the teachings of Akel never end", she rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, after thirty years, you get used to it", the other said.  
"I've had fifty of them", Renati replied.  
"And you're still not used to it?"  
"She surprises me every time. She's incredibly creative", Renati admitted.  
"Don't pretend like you know all about Akel's teachings", one of the females teased the other. "Remember last week?"  
"Never mind…", the three laughed as they continued into the night with more stories of Akel and her teachings.

* * *

Later that night, the next stage of the party was initiated where slow as well as paced dance music filled the large crystal-sail covered patio. It was large enough to fit all the attendants without getting wet from the rain and left enough room for a spatious dance floor.

Minbari were one to enjoy the arts. Whether they are Warrior, Worker or Religious Caste, they all enjoyed the arts of entertainment. As always they do so in their own manner, but with much more cross-caste resemblances than regarding other topics.  
Dancing, singing, playing instruments and more of these art types were heavily loved by every soul. There was no party without music or dance, especially not a Warrior's party.

As for other habits, a drink traditionally served at Warrior parties is a thinned out variant of Sha'neyat .This beverage is used in many Warrior rituals for its unique reactions to the body.  
Its effects are similar to alcohol in a Human body, but without inspiring violence. It is more of an entrancing experience. Too much of this beverage will poison the blood and in the end kill its host, but as Minbari are unfamiliar with the concept of excessive use, this is rarely a problem.

The liquid is used on festivities in a thinned down variant for safety reasons. It takes a while for the body to get used to and to achieve the desired effect. It is so that many first-time drinkers end up what Humans call 'tipsy'.  
Experienced drinkers get the enlightened state of mind the beverage is designed to give, which is perfect for Warriors coming back from a long cycle of space travel. It gives them a chance to lock it all out and focus on the now.

Akel stood in the centre of the dance floor, messing about with Shinvi, and old Alyt friend of hers. Shinvi was what Akel called 'the conscience that would get her killed someday'. She was much to Akel what Renati was to Varas, always taking things to the next level in the name of good, always searching for more and better.

It had been more than 7 years since the two had seen each other, so their rejoice was great. Shinvi had been part of a team monitoring the protectorates, as there had been some skirmishes around there as of late. Other species – minors – had attempted to take over the planets several times, but were efficiently _halted_ by the Warrior Caste every time.

From the sideline, Renati oversaw the events. She enjoyed Akel's happiness and Varas being thrown around from person to person on a nicely paced song played by the live artist band.  
Her popularity in the group did her well. It was not often Varas was noticed, Valen let her enjoy it for the night.

One of the Warrior girls standing beside Renati chuckled as she saw a Shai Alyt headed their way.  
"Oh I hope he's here for me", she dreamed.  
"Are you kidding? They never come for you", her friend gave her a painful reality check.  
"Don't say that! I may be in luck tonight!"  
"Right.. have you taken a look at him? He's _Shai Alyt_. And he's not looking at you"  
Meyra, as was her name, was disappointed when the Vonilbok she eyed walked to the female next to her and asked her to dance.  
"See never in luck", her friend reminded her.  
"But there's another one!", Meyra exclaimed hopefully.

Renati giggled at the entertainment the females were giving her. Surely, Warriors were more open with their feelings. There had been a lot of culture shocks this evening and she had a feeling this wouldn't be the last of them. But in all honesty, she did not mind as much as she had thought she would.

"Renati, would you care to dance?"  
An extended hand invited her to something she was only half comfortable with – especially in that dress. The music carried pace, everything would move!  
She looked up and saw the gentle eyes of Shai Alyt Naroon, looking to make up for his secret.  
"Lucky duck!", Meyra whispered from behind her and pushed Renati slightly forward, leaving her no choice but to grab on to his hand.

Naroon took her closer to him, he wasn't going to let that slip.  
Their position was the same as the one when they greeted each other – one hand against the other – but his other hand was wrapped along her waist whilst hers was around his back. Stepping back and forth, left and right, the Shai Alyt controlled his pace as he saw the young Religious Caste's lips turn pale again.  
The dress was really annoying her.

"Interesting you knowing Akel", Renati did not forgive his silence.  
"You didn't ask", he smiled, hoping to get around her light-footedness.  
"Oh come on", she spoke disappointed and slightly annoyed.

"Where's the sense of mystery if I tell you everything from the first day?", he justified.  
"So you were trying to be mysterious?", she eye browed him.  
"It worked", he smiled.  
"It did actually", she could not resist admitting it.

Perhaps she was overreacting to a silly misunderstanding. It _is_ more fun whenever things are somewhat clad in mystery.  
And even so, surely her ego could take the fact she had not seen through this scheme – if that's what it was.

"I've know Akel since… forever actually. Even before you became her apprentice", Naroon explained her.

Renati looked puzzled at the Shai Alyt, tilting her head for inspection.  
"Don't worry, my years reach younger than Akel's", he replied to the concern on her face.

It were small things such as these that gave his heart the aspiration it was looking for. That and the look in her eyes.

Renati was looking at him as if he were some miraculous spectacle she was watching for the first time, regardless of their earlier skirmish.  
She listened to every word he said and every word came in reply came with such heart-filled honesty that it touched him.

Suddenly a hand slid between that of his and hers, with the accompanying voice: "Change of pace"

Fara grabbed onto the Shai Alyt's hand and swung her superior the other way. Her previous dance partner grabbed a hold of Renati, who was still somewhat confused at what had just happened.

The Alyt gave Naroon the most evil glare she could manage.  
"You should be ashamed of yourself. Gawking a young Religious Caste who was put up on display like a piece of meat. Who does Akel think she is anyway?", her tongue spit fire.

"Are you mad at her or at the little one?", Naroon corrected his subordinate.  
"What do you mean?", she replied with another sharp sting.  
"You should focus your anger. Not globally spread it", he put her in her place.  
"It's more effective that way"  
"Enjoy yourself, it's a party", he insisted.  
"It's not very enjoyable. Because everybody is looking at her"

Naroon looked around and countered her statement.  
"Not everybody. Look around you Fara. Everywhere you go, eyes follow and heads turn"  
"Not the heads I want to turn", she replied and looking into his eyes.  
Naroon just sighed and exclaimed: "Change of pace!", throwing her at the next receptive Warrior.

* * *

Sitting on a sheltered bench in the nearby stretch of trees, Renati looked at the clouds with an empty glass of juice next to her. The rain fell softly into the lake that lay behind Akel's house. The sound of it hitting the water was actually quite soothing.

She had needed to get away from the party, from the attention, from the stress. At least she had been granted half an hour of silence now. It was nice, she had fun, but the oppressive environment had gotten to her. She was not used to such quick paced events, not socially anyway.

Life threatening situations, sure, impossible to solve riddles – or course! But intense social interaction? She was green at that.

It was fun, but so difficult.

She closed her eyes, listening to the music and laughter in the distance. A rustle in the grass took her attention to the left of her.  
There came Shai Alyt Naroon, carrying two glasses.

"My refill?", she asked friendlily.  
"No I'm just thirsty", he joked and presented her the glass.  
"Sit", she giggled and gestured at the space next to her on the comfortable bench.

"So you survived the maddening gaze of the angry female?", she confronted him, sipping her drink. If anything, she blessed the Sha'neyat for making her more overt.  
"Yes, I vanquished her another day", he spoke with a hint of annoyance in his voice.  
"Ah, persistent problem"  
"Something like that"  
"So, it's not returned?", she wondered.  
"No, I'm not angry at her at all", Naroon dogded the question. Thankfully for once, Renati was socially apt enough to figure _touchy subject_.

The Anla'Shok sat on the bench rather stiff, but at the same time felt comfortable. More than ever, it left her confused.

What was the matter with her? Why was she feeling like this?

Every time she saw the Shai Alyt, she wanted to speak with him, spent time with him, simply be with him.  
But why?

Even though she couldn't answer that question, she couldn't keep her heart from pacing quicker, her breath from being slower and her attention from being turned unconditionally towards him.

Naroon noticed her uneasily shuffling on the bench and fidgeting with her dress, so tried to comfort her.  
"Don't worry, you look beautiful"  
"Oh.. I… It was not my choice. I hate this dress", she cursed.  
"You do?"  
"It's Akel's doing. She told me that everyone was doing to be dressed like this, but apparently it was a lesson", Renati clarified.

"A lesson?"  
"Yes, she wanted me in the good kind of spotlight for a change"  
"Well it's an important lesson to learn", Naroon continued, unsure of what to say.

"Now you just need to find a way to pass the test and get comfortable with it"  
"I don't think I'll ever get comfortable in this dress", she smiled faintly.  
"You don't want to disappoint Akel on this one, otherwise you'll be in it for the rest of your life! We can't have that, can we?", he joked.  
"I believe my career as Anla'Shok would come to an abrupt end", she chuckled.  
"Yes, well in the interest of your career!"  
"But I cannot pass the test until the night is over. I just can't wait to get out of the dress", she stressed.  
"Yes, I can't wait either", he laughed.

Renati turned at him, shock-faced, but Naroon kept his laugh.  
"I'm kidding. It's just- Warrior humour. Incredibly inappropriate in every way", he said and looked away, closing his eyes at his own stupidity.  
"It's alright, it's somewhat funny", she tried.

"You're strange, you know that… Shai Alyt?", she spoke swiftly, trying to avoid another uncomfortable silence between them.  
"My name is Naroon, Alyt", he toyed with her  
"You can call me Renati", she laughed.  
"Only if you call me Naroon"  
"Not in public", she protested.  
"When it is appropriate"  
"When it is appropriate, Naroon", she replied with a smile.

"Why do you seek my company?", Renati prompted him with what had been buzzing through her mind this last half hour.  
"I don't know", the Warrior replied, thinking. "There's something different about you"  
"I'm unique?"  
"More than that", he replied.  
Renati looked puzzled. She had no idea of what he meant by that, nor did he give any clear indication of his intentions.

"I can't quite put my finger on it, but it feels like a deep current I need to explore"  
Naroon held his breath as the words left his lips, in anticipation of her reaction.  
She was so fragile, so different and so difficult, he did not know if he had scared her away or finally got her where he wanted her.  
To his surprise, she did not turn away, but looked him deep in the eyes.

Gaining confidence, Naroon took the glass she held in her hands away, trying to feel out carefully when he reached the barrier she did not want him to cross.

So far, there was no resistance.  
She let him take away the glass and put it beside them without ever looking away.  
His hand lay between her two cupped hands and stroke the inside of her palm. She closed her eyes and smiled faintly, feeling both more comfortable and nervous at the same time.

His fingers slid between those of her right hand, his thumb stroking over hers. He swallowed when he felt her stroke back without resistance.  
He moved the other hand to her hips, on the part of her garment that looked most padded in an attempt not to discomfort her.  
She opened her eyes at his touch, but to his relief did not move away. Instead, she looked him in the eyes and slightly lifted her chin.

Slowly, in what appeared like an eternity, he motioned downwards – but then was startled by a noise from beyond the trees.

With a reflexive move, he put some pressure on the hand on her waist, pushed her off the bench, but pulled her upwards against his chest with the other.  
"Play along", he whispered as he noticed the confusion in her eyes.

Just then, a group of Warriors from the party passed by, carrying drinks at hand.  
"Whoa, you've had a little too much", Naroon said, just loud enough for them to hear. Renati let him swing her around, though she found it hard to believe for a Religious Caste to be tipsy.  
The Warriors raised their glass when they saw the Shai Alyt had his hands full and would not join them. Instead, they jolly continued further into the fields.

Naroon straightened Renati out, but just as he wanted to apologise, he noticed she did not let go of him.  
He clenched his fingers around the soft hand that lay on his chest and enjoyed the feeling of her holding on to him. She looked so fragile, in need of protection and he was willing to give it to her.  
This time, she smiled and waited for him to motion towards him again.

Just as he did, an all too familiar voice called out: "Naroon! Akel asked for you"

They had just enough time to step away from each other when Fara appeared from around the corner, burning with jealousy.  
Naroon did not want for Fara to include Renati in this, so he stepped towards Fara in Renati's line of sight and replied: "Alright let's go"

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Sim'ka _(Adrenato)_: Literally translates to Welcoming Crystal. Minbari equivalent for doorbell

(2) - Vehle'mer _(Adrenato)_: Minbari equivalent of mailman

* * *

**Next chapter:** The Warrior way

Coming soon so stay tuned!


	24. Chapter 24: The Warrior way

**The Warrior way**

Varas ran up to the sofa in the centre and leapt onto it.  
"Legroom!", she happily cried out. Renati shook her head and placed her shoulder bag against the wall.  
"And privacy!", her friend outed again as she walked into the separate bedroom.  
"Aside from me that is", Renati commented dryly.  
"A minor setback, but nothing I can't handle", Varas teased.

Varas had been kind enough to insist to Akel that they were in need of some more comfortable transportation since the last mission, at least up to the space stations from where they could hop on to something different. Their mentor had assured them she would take care of it.

Varas was to go to Altres at the border of Narn and Drazi space to continue her search, while Renati was saddled with the task of checking up on William Cole.

He wasn't responding to his calls –again.

Anla'Shok Na had begun to suspect it to be a Human thing, deliberately ignoring calls or inevitably stalling their reply. Nevertheless, he could not risk an Anla'Shok in need being ignored, so asked Akel to handle it. A perfect task for Renati, the latter figured.

Out of a choice of seven Sharlin Cruisers faring along the route they required, Akel picked the Tiris. Renati didn't know if she had done so on purpose or not.  
She didn't even know if her mentor had noticed the _interest_ between the Shai Alyt and herself.

Varas' reaction when they saw the Tiris at the docking bay of the Tuzanor airport had been priceless. Just a look, that's all she needed to give.

It had been 18 days since the party. Eighteen days since she had been different. She had tried to shake away the events that had happened, but every time she thought back she could feel the adrenaline rushing through.

Although she was not proud of her actions, she did not regret them. She had overstepped some boundaries she shouldn't have, but where would she have gone if it hadn't been for the _convenient_ intervention of his Alyt?

Fara. Poor Fara.  
Madly in love with a Warrior who will not do the least to look after her, at least that's how it appeared to Renati.  
As for why, it left her puzzled. They had surely known each other long enough and Renati was sure that – aside from whenever her jealousy gets in the way – Fara was quite the enjoyable person.

Yet her feelings were not all bright and shiny. There was the ever present uncertainty. An uncertainty of a kind that inevitably accompanies the stomach butterflies. No tingles without second thoughts, not for Humans, not for Minbari.

What was his interest in her? Surely, he had proven there was some, but how profound was it? Was she just a spur of the moment thing? Or was the Shai Alyt looking for something more durable than a moment?

Renati could not tell. Part of her didn't want to neither. In any case, she was on the Tiris now and felt mischief boiling in her gut. What better opportunity than this to confront him?

"I'll go and stretch my legs. Care to join me?", Renati asked.  
"No, you go on ahead. I'll come to find you later", Varas denied her friend's request.

* * *

Varas returned from the mess hall carrying something to eat. Renati had probably gone the other way. She was nowhere to be found.  
Typical.

Before she reached her quarters, a door to her left opened. Fluently she walked inside and greeted the Warrior waiting for her.  
"Report", she said.  
Varas merely looked at her.  
"Well, go on report", the Warrior insisted.  
"You forget your place sometimes; I am not one of your subordinates", Varas spoke in offence.

Fara did not like the resistance this Religious Caste was putting up. Such a smart tongue for such a feeble person. Nevertheless, she was too curious to risk Varas holding that tongue.  
"Report, please", she tried again.  
"She hasn't spoken to him since that night, though she was clearly happy to be here", Varas spoke. Fara's lip twitched unnoticeably, she retained her honour.

"Good. I haven't spoken to him yet, so I don't know if he's aware you are here. I did not pass through the report, but it is in his archives. He will come to notice eventually", Fara replied.  
"Don't worry, the longer it takes for them to notice each other, the better", Varas thought out loud. "Is he currently on shift?"  
"No"  
"Then there's a good chance she'll look him up", Varas grimaced with worry.  
"I could call him away", Fara suggested.  
"No, we must be as subtle as possible. We cannot directly intervene, only indirectly", Varas insisted.

After Akel's party, Fara had been in touch with Varas, whom she had connected with during their walk in the Celestial gardens.  
Her Religious Caste point of view drove Fara ballistic at times, but she was pleasant to be with. Most importantly: she carried no interest in Naroon.

But Renati did. That problem needed resolving.  
Fortunately for Fara, Varas was not in favour of a possible relationship between the two of them.  
She simply didn't feel the consequences for her Family, for his Clan, for everyone involved, were worth it.  
Yes, he was a very enjoyable and charming male to be around, but if she got satisfaction from his friendship, why couldn't Renati?

No, Varas knew Renati couldn't help it – her mind was clouded as long as the intoxication of Naroon was in her blood. But she would not let her friend bring down herself and the Shai Alyt. She had to find away to stop the relationship before it started.  
With this, Fara's help was most welcome.

"Alright, I will _try _not to intervene. We meet again soon", Fara confirmed and left.

* * *

One of Renati's favourite parts of a Sharlin cruiser was the walkway that towered over the training grounds. You could cross from one compartment of the ship to the next by taking either of these two walkways that were about five meters higher up.  
The walkways had a good view onto the Warriors from there, while they could continue their training sessions undisturbed by the audience.

Such was her point of venture today. And she was in luck: there was a Warrior training in the main training area.  
He had his back towards her, so Renati could not know if she recognised him or not.

Clad in a traditional royal blue Shaibar'nik training outfit, he tagged away the discs flying across the room. It didn't matter where he sent them off to, as long as they did not hit him. Some reached as high as the platform she was on. The Anla'Shok had to be careful not to accidentally get hit.

The disks were being fired in an irregular pattern, timing as well as numbers. The Shaibar'nik Warrior fended them off with his arm guards, their favourite weapon. His technique was refined – as expected.  
The movement was interesting to watch, though there was something off about the way he moved.  
A little too hesitant for a seasoned Warrior.

As she studied the pattern in his movements, she noticed an opening in his defence.  
There!  
Every fourth strike he would move his arm too much forward, leaving the perfect opportunity for a disk – or opponent – to strike him there. It was shear luck that he hadn't been hit there yet.

Renati reached for one of the stray disks and waited until the opportunity arose.

Swoosh! The disk flew through the room and... Bull's eye!

The Warrior cleaved at it with a reflexive move, but missed. Starlted from being hit so unexpectedly, he missed the next four disks dashing into his muscle.  
Quickly, he picked up where he left off, avoiding more bruises.

However, the opening remained. Every six moves now, but the speed at which he moved was not the problem.  
Renati would make him realise.  
She grabbed another straight dish and aimed for his ribs.

Strike!

This time, her action met with more annoyance.  
"End program!"

A whispered curse put a grin on Renati's face.  
Alright! She –the Religious Caste, the Anla'Shok! – had found a Warrior's weak point!  
She couldn't help a small giggle.  
But her victory was short lived when the Warrior turned around, hearing he wasn't alone.

It was then that she realised why he moved so hesitantly: he was blind-shielded!  
That made the demonstration a lot more impressive than it had initially appeared. The grin disappeared from Renati's face when he took off the device covering his eyes and a large part of his face. A bruised Shai Alyt looked up at the unexpected perpetrator with a smile.

"Pestering me at work now, are you?"  
"You had an opening", she followed his comment, thanking Valen for his understanding.  
"I do not have an opening", he protested.  
"You had it twice", Renati smirked, looking at his hand stroking his painful rib.

Naroon looked up at the woman in question. There she was: the one that had haunted his mind for days, present and completely unannounced.  
Of course he had thought of her, several times actually. He even bothered to check up on her whereabouts every couple of days just to see if they would run into each other again, however he would not actively go looking for her.

There was something about her that attracted him, powerfully even, but was it enough?  
Surely, she was pretty and witty, but the emotional side was not all that was to him.  
Inside he was Warrior, a fundamentally different principle than what she was used to.  
And the Warrior in him did not allow her to steal his pride in this matter.

An opening, the nerve.  
Yes, Fara would have probably noticed it if it was there – as she always does – but an Anla'Shok? Not by Shintavi would he let her shame him as such.

"Show me this flaw", Naroon replied irritated.  
"Alright, do it again. I have one more disk", she said, flipping it up and down in her hand.

"Resume programme", he spoke after putting his blind-shield back on.  
A flick of Renati's wrist sent the disk flying across the room, bruising Naroon for the third time.  
"You have an opening", she smiled.  
"Only one?", he replied with a hint of sarcasm. Naroon was valiant, brave, honourable and more, but also a perfectionist. Improvement was the essence of his being, his way of living. If there was a problem, he would fix it.

"End program"  
Naroon grinded his teeth in an invisible motion, licking his ego's wound. Perhaps he could set this right some other way.

"Care to come down here and show me up close what I am doing wrong?"  
Renati did not reject the opportunity to spar with the Shai Alyt. She walked over to where there were no rails and stepped on the hovering platform.  
A weight sensor activated the platform to move to the lower level, going up again once she stepped off.

"Not hurt too badly?"  
Renati enjoyed playing with him for a change. Seeing a leader squirm was not a frequent sight, she would savour it!  
"if you would perform the move again", she asked. The Anla'Shok positioned herself to his side, where she could easily reach him.

Naroon did not activate the disks, but performed his sequence of moves. As before, he performed them slightly quicker, but that was not the problem.  
"There!", she said. Her hand lunged forward to grab the open spot on his side under his arm.  
The Shai Alyt looked over his shoulder and established he had a problem indeed.

"When you perform the sequence and move this arm forward, you don't return it early enough. You leave it open for two seconds, just enough for me to throw the disk - or my Denn'Bok for that matter"

She saw the Shaibar'nik thinking over her comment, puzzled at how he was going to fix that.  
"Of course, if I would've been on the other side, I would never have noticed", she tried boosting his confidence when he was silent longer to her comfort.  
"But a second opponent would", he replied.  
"You leave it open just long enough to strike. There is a hesitation, but I do not see why. Everything else is fluent", she insisted.  
Renati was worried about the tension this had brought on. He was clearly distraught by this newly discovered flaw.

Naroon was oblivious to her concern.  
This was where the emotions left the scene and the Warrior took over entirely. The gap needed to be closed – cost what may.

"Let's see if I have that while sparring as well", he said and walked over to the wall.  
Renati did not notice the small grin he carried. Indeed she had put him in his place – however annoying that may be – but he wasn't going to grant her a full victory.

_Let's test the abilities of this little Anla'Shok_

His hand moved over a crystal, activating a switch. A large panel moved to reveal a wall decorated with an impressive collection of weapons.  
Native as well as exotic, there appeared to be no preference. Renati recognised several, but was surprised about the amount of unfamiliar weaponry. She would have to catch up on that.

"Weapon of choice?"  
"Oh I think I'll try something new!", she spoke excited as her eyes scrolled the different possibilities.  
"Another thought Renati: how about you start with something you're familiar with and then see if you're ready for something new", he advised.

Only after the words had left his lips did he realise what he had said. The double meaning, the subtle hint. His initial reaction was to freeze in place, cursing himself for his unintentional provocative nature. But when he saw his Religious Caste smile, his heart eased.

_His_ Religious Caste.

Putting it in the possessive had a certain ring to it, a hint of adventure. He loved it.  
Renati was like his collection of arms: exotic. He had no idea how to wield it, but it felt great to have them – or her.  
Noticing the yearning for confirmation in her eyes, he smiled back.

"The only thing I am really familiar with is my Denn'Bok", she replied, getting them both back to the matter.  
"Alright", he nodded amused and stood in front of her.  
"What about you?", she wondered.  
"I do not spar with weapons"

Renati was unsure if that was a good or bad thing, but in any case she was about to find out.

The pillars that shot the disks now elongated all the way to the surface, creating an interesting battle ground. The openings from which the disks came were closed, their caps perfectly fitting in the streamlined design of the pillars.  
The training grounds on space vessels were a true Worker's masterpiece. They carried everything the Warriors could possibly need, as compact as possible.

Naroon bowed the Warrior way and readied himself for her charge. Renati was puzzled at his positioning: his upper body spoke of hand-to-hand combat, but his feet were positioned like those of a swordsman.  
She did not know that much of fighting styles, but figured he would surprise her either way.

Her Denn'Bok being a defensive weapon, Renati played her role well and waited for the Shai Alyt to attack her. Expected, but quicker than foreseen, Naroon lunged forward at his opponent. His first aimed for her Dun'Shai, but to his surprise she did not block!

A painful grunt came from the Anla'Shok when she fell to the ground after the first strike. Embarrassed, she dared not look up.  
She had managed to turn her head when the blow came, avoiding a frontal hit. Instead, he had partially hit bone, eye and Dun'Shai. The skin to the side of her eye was torn open, bleeding enough for her to feel it.

Naroon was unsure what to do. Normally, he would have gotten a punch back by now, but she hadn't even gotten back up. Cautiously he approached her and soaked an unexpected blow of her Denn'Bok against his cheek.  
"Oh I'm sorry!", she yelped, but then noticed he didn't even flinch.

More so, she had hit him with ample force, but his cheek was neither broken nor bruised. Warriors were so used to getting beaten, their physiology had adapted over time. Anla'Shok on the other hand have mastered the art of sneaking – to avoid being hit.  
This was where it became painfully clear to her how big the difference between the two of them was.  
"Do not apologise for victory", he corrected her.

His dominating appearance and lack of injury frightened her. Sure, she was courageous against inferior species, but this Warrior could really harm her. He was much more powerful than she was.  
Naroon noticed the slight hint of fear in her eyes and was disappointed.  
"Never be intimidated by your enemy. It will be your downfall", he corrected her rookie mistake.  
"But you are Minbari"  
"No, I am your opponent", the Shai Alyt stressed.  
"Alight", she said and got up again with the help of his hand. "But this time at least give me a chance to hit you"  
"I gave you four seconds last time, I will give you six now. Make good use of them"

At first Renati naturally held back, as she always did in sparring matches. However, Naroon left her no luxury to do so. She would fight him as she fought any real opponent, or risk insulting him.  
He took up the pace by putting more force in his movements and variating his sequences more often to keep her attention sharp.

Renati could barely keep up with him. She was blessed to have the Denn'Bok which gave her the privilege of defence, but at certain times she was convinced Naroon would punch right through it.

A little into the fight, she picked up his right leg was annoying him.  
Finally, an objective!

His right thigh was a perfect place to start with, why hadn't she thought of that earlier?  
It was right below the ribs he left unguarded at times. If she could get him to think she's stressing the knee...

Renati adjusted her fighting style, to Naroon's delight.  
_Finally, she's opening up_

She risked more frontal attacks now and even though she squeacked at his every so often taps on her fingers, she prevailed.  
She had underestimated a casual sparring match with a Shai Alyt, but at least she would remember it well next time.

Naroon noticed the way she had picked out one body part to focus her attacks on. Unfortunately for him, it was the leg that was stressing him – remnants of an earlier training accident – but nevertheless he felt delighted at her insight.  
She carried much potential, she just needed more training. A lot more training.

When the stress reached passed the level of acceptable annoyance, Naroon made the mistake of moving his leg backwards. Taking the opportunity she had been waiting for, Renati struck fast at the opening on his ribs.  
"See!", she grinned.

But then, he was gone. He was there a second ago, where did he disappear to?  
Wha-

Then it all went black.

* * *

Her eyes opened, registering an upside-down Naroon.  
"What happened?"  
"You let down your guard"  
"Looks like I let down more than that", she commented dryly.  
"...I might have hit you a bit harder than I intended to", he admitted having miscalculated her reflexes again.  
"A _bit_ harder than you intended?", she replied, feeling the scabbed wound on the other side of her face.  
"That's why I don't fight with weapons", he smiled.  
"Lucky me", she took sarcasm was a last resort.

He had really beaten her up badly, she would have to do something about that. If they continued like this, he would come to believe she's weak! She couldn't have that.  
"I'll live... I guess. Could you hit the bone next time?"  
"I'll see what I can do", he smiled and reached out his hand

"So there's going to be a next time?", his voice was warm now.  
"If you will allow me to rectify my shame", she said and let him help her up. Her hand held on to his a little longer than it should, but her eyes timidly hit the floor.

"Tomorrow, at 7 I'll tell you what you did wrong. Now I have duties", he did not leave the chance for an eerie silence.  
"Thank you.. it feels good to be here", she spoke.  
Naroon looked at her carrying a disbelieving smile.  
"Considering", she added quickly.

* * *

"Then there is the reassignment of Kalek, the Fe'endumar that has been transferred to us", Fara continued down the list of duties.  
"I have met with him yesterday, you can scratch that", Naroon replied and gestured for her to continue.

"If I may ask Shai Alyt", she addressed him as was proper in the meeting room, "What was your first impression of him?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"How did he come across?", Fara tried carefully.  
"As a typical new recruit", Naroon commented without giving any indication of what he meant by that. "Why? Is there something I should know about him?"

Fara looked at Shivani, lower in rank, and weighed her words.  
"We found him to act somewhat… inappropriate", she spoke.  
"Inappropriate?", Naroon queried.  
"Yes, he was rather.. rude towards the Workers", Shivani worried.  
"Rude? In what manner?"  
"Commanding them", Shivani spoke.  
"Come come, are you sure you didn't mishear?", Naroon took the side of the young recruit.  
"Perhaps you're being premature of judgement because he is Fe'endumar.

I realise they are not welcomed by the crew, but he was assigned to the Tiris. Unless he is found unfit for duty, I suggest you do all you can to make it as comfortable as possible for him.  
He will have a hard enough time getting along with the men as it is. No need to encourage the fued, both of you"

Fara was not surprised at Naroon's reaction. He had not seen any of this behaviour himself, so he gave the recruit the benefit of the doubt.  
Naroon was an understanding and forgiving commander, however not lacks. Fara prayed the display of arrogance from the young recruit was a one time event, for if Naroon would catch him acting like that…

"Anything else?", the Shai Alyt asked.  
"The matter of the visiting committee, Shai Alyt", Fara answered.  
"Already? I had hoped that was next year", he spoke annoyed.  
"Once ever six years, Shai Alyt. Year seven started two cycles ago", Shivani pointed out.

Naroon shook his head at how fast time passed him by. Sometimes it seemed as if they had accomplished so much in such little time, while other times it felt as if they had been floating in hyperspace since forever.  
"Alright, make the necessary preparations and wake me when he gets here. Do we know who it is this time?"  
"As always, we will not know until he sets foot aboard, Shai Alyt", Fara stated.  
"Wonderful", Naroon replied sarcastic before moving on to the next item on the agenda.

* * *

At an inhumane hour Varas shook her friend from slumber.  
"Mhmm.. what is it?", she mumbled, eyes closed.  
"Come on, time for breakfast", Varas replied with a clear voice.  
"Breakfast?", she said and titled her head, opening her eyes heavy with fatigue, "I haven't slept for 6 hours yet"  
"Get up", she pulled away her blanket without mercy, "You're going to need it"  
"Need it? Why? I'll be on the Tiris for another while", Renati complained, remaining abed – blanket or not.  
"Yes and this is the perfect time to do it", Varas insisted.

Finally she had caught Renati's attention. "Do what?", she spoke as she sat up.  
"Catch up on our rituals"  
"Rituals?"  
"We have begun a new cycle Renati, I would like to start this one properly. We always do the shorter version of the rituals in order to get through our duties properly, but we have sufficient time until we get to the next space port to complete the most important ones fully", Varas insisted.

The rituals she was talking about were many – so many. From the blessing of the new cycle to the traditional reading of Valen's teachings, just to ensure they are not forgotten.  
The short versions were doable to perform in the life of an Anla'Shok, but the long – proper – versions... these would take days.

"Just to make sure we have a good cycle. Valen knows we're going to need all the luck we can get...", Varas worried.

The coming times would be dangerous indeed: further exploration for Shadow activities as well as early gathering of allies. Something in her gut told her it was too premature for that.  
There was this feeling that something was missing. Something had to happen still – or someone needed to intervene – before they could rally up several other races as an ally to fight such a fearsome fiend.

But what and when? Would Valen even know?

It would be dangerous, that much was clear to both. Renati noticed her friend's upset heart. She could not hide the feelings she was broadcasting, and Renati still was not apt at blocking them.

Varas' disarray in turn worried her. If there was one person she could always lean on, it was Varas. If she would lose confidence...

"Alright, I will assist with the preparations, but I need to take care of something first"

* * *

"Cey'aal(1) Firell, welcome aboard the Tiris", Naroon greeted his guest with a deep bow.  
"Shai Alyt, I presume everything will proceed according to schedule. I will tolerate no delays", the stiff Religious Caste replied.

He walked alongside the Shai Alyt, paying no heed to the honour guard set out for him. This was one of many ships he would need to check his week, he would have many more such receptions – it is only natural.

"Moran will see to it that your needs are met", Naroon introduced his subordinate.  
"A soldier?", Cey'aal Firell halted his pace and looked down on the Minbari in front of them.  
"You would send a mere soldier along with a Cey'aal for the inspection of your ship, Shai Alyt?"

"Any one of my soldiers is equally apt for this task as any of my ranked officers, Cey'aal", Naroon replied, defending his crew.  
"Is that so? Then why have rank at all! You should all strip yourselves of rank and run around the ship like headless Goks! I'm sure that would be a most efficient way to run the ship", he scoffed.  
"I resent that, Cey'aal-"  
"You resent? Shai Alyt, may I remind you who you are addressing here? I am the one who will decide whether or not your ship and its crew will be grounded for the next year. I expect to be treated with the reverence that is appropriate"

Naroon's spirit burned with anger. He hated snooty inspectors such as the one standing in front of him.  
Last time they had been lucky: A Worker Caste Hayn'aal(2) had given them a perfect review. The Shaibar'nik were bound for trouble for this cycle.

He wanted to put this loathsome reflection of the Religious Caste in his place, but decided that would only result in a worse outcome – for all.  
"Anything the Cey'aal requires shall be delivered", he submitted.  
"Good. Send me your Alyt", he commanded and stepped into the elevator, closing it before Naroon could follow.

Moran saw the rage in Naroon's eyes and calmed his commander down with a regard of his. "One day is all we need Shai Alyt. Just one day of lip biting and teeth grinding", he spoke.  
"A day too many", Naroon cursed and tapped his arm guard.

* * *

Again the door opened, inviting Varas in. She looked around, but initially saw nothing but an empty quarters.

There, in the darkness.

"Will you stop doing that?", Varas complained, "You're not grey council. Or are you training?"  
Annoyed by the young one's remark, Fara stepped into the light.  
"I'm Anla'Shok, it's my profession to see through Shadows", she passed over Fara's frustration.

"So?"  
"I have intervened", Varas admitted.  
"I thought we agreed we would be as unnoticed as possible", Fara was agitated at the break of promise.  
"Oh believe me, I'm unnoticed. Through ritual she will be otherwise engaged for some time"  
"Good idea", Fara had to admit.  
"I suggest you do the same", Varas spoke.

Unexpectedly, Fara disagreed.  
Suggesting a ritual to Naroon would result in him doing the wrong one. The last thing she wanted for him to do was the Insil'Ri. She wished for him to do the ritual of wrongful parting, but the fire in his eyes when he spoke of the Religious Caste advised her not to take the gamble.

The Insil'Ri was a ritual many Minbari perform before coupling with a mate. In this ritual they look for the compatibility of their souls. Minbari believe that if they force a relationship between incompatible souls, it will only cause hardship and grief.

Therefore, they designed a ritual, to prevent the pain from happening sort of speak. If the ritual concludes the souls do not match, love with not be sought between the individuals.

Fara feared the possibility of a positive answer.

"I cannot do it through ritual, but I will find another way", she shunned the suggestion.  
"The Warrior way then", Varas sighed, "As long as you're subtle about it"  
"Naroon and I are never subtle. He will worry if I'm subtle", she stressed.  
"I see. Then hit him where it hurts"  
"I intend to do so"

* * *

Day two of Renati and Varas' ritual marathon. Naroon hadn't seen her since. She hadn't showed up for her training and Varas had been downright cryptic about her engagements.  
Bizarre, but then again he had bigger worries at the moment than the intoxicating female. The final day of the inspection was troubling him.

Being grounded was the worst – and unfair – punishment the crew could get. All the Shaibar'nik aboard the ship shared Naroon's passion: roaming the universe, not circling home world.

He placed the extra tray he was holding across from him and took place at the triangular table. Fara joined him, but gave him no attention.  
On the contrary, she was more concerned with what was in her plate.

"Are you going to eat it or take it apart?", he asked.  
"Yes"  
"Mhm. You know, it looks painful for the Roshava(3). I think it's trying to escape onto my plate", he tried some humour, but she gave him no attention.

_The Warrior way then_

His shin kicked hers under the table, enough to make her finally look up.  
"Are you even on this plane?", Naroon asked his Alyt.  
Again she did not reply, but glared around the room. They were alone, the others were still in shift or training.  
With a few ticks on her armguard, she locked the doors. Time for her way of dealing with him.  
"Wha-"

Naroon was cut off by Fara dragging him over the table by his collar. He struggled, but surprise was on Fara's side. She threw him across her and toppled back herself, struggling until she was on top of him. She pressed down on his elbows with her knees, effectively locking him in her grasp.

"What is your problem?", Naroon complained, coughing up the remainder of Roshava he was consuming.  
"No, what's yours?", she hissed.  
"I was enjoying my space-Roshava for a change. It tastes different today - nice actually. I'm happy.  
Why did you interrupt so viciously? First the vegetable, now me?", he said in response to the cutlery she was still holding.

Annoyed at his perceptiveness, she chucked it away aand took the opportunity to grab him by the collar.  
Naroon winced as the weight of her knees shifted down harder on his elbows and tried wiggling to get more comfortable.

"What are you playing at with that Religious Caste?", Fara spat.  
"I'm not playing"  
"Yes you are. You're playing a very dangerous game", she warned him.  
"It's none of your business Fara", he reminded her.  
She knew what he was hinting at, but ignored it. Back to the matter at hand.

"Stop it before you embarrass yourself and the entire ship. And that while we have a Cey'aal onboard! How dare you?", she insisted.  
"I will not embarrass anyone. My actions are my own", Naroon kept a cool head, regardless of her efficient application of pain.  
"You are Shai Alyt", Fara tried reminding him of his duty.  
"I will take responsibility for _my_ actions"  
"What about the rest of us? Did you even think of us?"  
"Yes, it'll be a swift promotion for you Fara", he spoke without meaning.  
"Vrak!(4)", she hissed and jumped off. He was not worth the trouble.

Halfway towards the door she froze and looked back. Biting her lip in anger, she tried to control herself. The problem being: he _is_ worth it.  
"Just get it out of your system Naroon. It's not going to happen. It's better for all of us if you forget about it", she tried the friendly approach, but this met with unexpected protest.

Naroon's discontent had been growing for a long time now. Ever since they had met, she had grown more controlling over his life. It had exploded once he took commanded of the Tiris.  
Female applicants were scared away, especially if Naroon showed any sign of friendship towards them. Many of them left out of their own action, but this no longer fooled any of the crew.  
There was a skeleton number of females aboard, simply because they were best at what they did. Naroon needed them to fill in the functions.

But Renati filled in no other function but the empty place in his heart. He was not sure if she would be the perfect mate for him, nor did it matter. What mattered was that he should at least have the chance to find out. And this time, the Shai Alyt would not let Fara scare her away.

"No", his cold, but standing reply came.  
"No?", Fara spoke in a challenging tone of voice.  
"No. As in you will not have your say in this. So far, I have always let you at it, but not this time"

With a slow pace he approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder.  
"It is time you let go Fara", he spoke with a soft voice, "Yes we are connected. Of course we are! We've known each other since birth, but that does not mean you are all I should know.  
You need to let go and let me do what I want, the way I let you do what you want"

Fara was rendered speechless for an instant. The memories touched her, but his kindness cut her.  
"You are hurting the clan by your actions", she diverted the attention from herself. Inside she wanted to yell, screech, bellow, but nothing was leaving her lips. Her feelings were holding her back, blast that manipulative manner of his!  
"I am not hurting anyone", Naroon insisted, "Besides, no one knows"  
"Everyone knows!", she did bellow this time.

Naroon looked at her narrow eyed and faced hers within an inch of his own.  
"Perhaps because you're so apt at telling everyone", he turned more aggressive.  
"I have not told anyone", she resented his remark  
"You do not solely speak with your lips, Fara"

A small stand-off between the two Minbari was not enough to sway either to succumb.  
"Leave me be", he insisted.  
"Someone needs to keep an eye on you"  
"I am not a child Fara"  
"Then stop acting like one"

That was the line. She had crossed it.  
Remarkably, instead of losing his cool, the Shai Alyt took a deep breath and tapped on his armguard, unlocking the doors.

"Return to your duties, you have work to do. A lot of it"  
"Yes I do. I need to start preparations for cleaning up your mess, as always", she would not allow him the final word.

Anger-paced she stormed out the room, never noticing the two hungry Warriors who had been waiting by the door.  
They looked at their commander who just rolled his eyes.

_Again? That Fang…_

* * *

Seclusion, meditation, consideration.  
That is what the rituals contained for Varas and Renati.

The twosome had been locked in their quarters for the better part of a week now, unaware of the commotion on the ship as the visiting committee was taking longer than expected.

Readings of Valen, blessings of Mir and Chu'Domo, scriptures of Lennon, these were only some of the things the Anla'Shok went through to prepare themselves for the coming cycle.

When they finally got to the tactical analysis and future projection of their strategy against the up rise of the enemy, Renati's enthusiasm returned.  
Blasted long-versioned rituals...

* * *

Naroon had not spoken to Fara since her outburst in the mess hall. She had been out of her league, there was no excuse for her behaviour. Yet he would not reprimand her with more than silence, there was no need for pointless cruelty.

Fara's reaction had unlocked several buried frustrations. He was tired of always having to account for his actions. For once he wanted to take a personal decision and not have to answer for it. No weight of rank or origin.  
But how?

Perhaps an old friend could help him.

"Long time no speak", Naroon greeted the Shaibar'nik at the other end of the hologram, ", How are you?"  
"Alive", the older Shai Alyt replied with a smile.  
"How are the little ones?"  
"Big"  
"Good, how are they doing?", Naroon tried to catch up with his friend before troubling her with his case.  
"Serving their first terms", Myana spoke, but then a smile formed, "Safely at home though"  
"Looks like they're luckier than some of us", Naroon naturally jested. "So where are you?"  
"Neutral space", she rolled her eyes in boredom.  
"Our side or their side?"  
"I didn't know there was such a thing. I like to see it all as my side", his friend got high on power as she so loved.  
"You haven't changed", Naroon commented with a reassured heart.

"That is why I knew I could rely on you for this", he continued.  
"Oh? Who are we going to destroy this time?", the older woman replied, sitting on the edge of a comfortable chair. She was off duty apparently, lucky.

"Me… at least I hope not", he spoke and sighed.  
"I have a problem Myana... Are you private?"  
"You can speak"  
"I will not say this in front of the bridge"  
"You can speak", she repeated.

"I think I finally made Fara go haywire", he admitted  
"Finally?", she replied in relief.

This was it, he would have to tell her. There was no way out of this.  
If Myana knew, she would never let him hear the end of it unless he fixed the situation – one way or the other. He was hoping she would help him with _the other_.

"I think I've come across someone who I like", Naroon blurted out.  
In the distance, he heard a cup of tea break.  
"I thought you said it was safe"  
"It is", she said and held up some shards she was passed, "This is my favourite tea cup"  
"Was.."

"It runs deeper than I can ignore", he continued, wanting to get it all out as quick and painless as possible. "And Fara knows"  
"Hence the haywire", Shai Alyt Myana replied dryly.

"I wanted to ask you to be my guardian, I will perform Insil'Ri"  
Myana looked in doubt, but Naroon could not tell motive. Instead, he decided to exercise some pressure.  
"As I did it in the past for you and Vorain, I assumed you would not pass over the honour"  
"That was because Vorain was like an uncle to you, I could not trust another with the task"  
"Well this is similar", Naroon explained.  
"It is? Who is she? It's not my niece, is it?"  
"Erhm… not as such. She's not really- let's just say I don't have enough patience for her"

"Not enough patience?! There is nothing wrong with Athla"  
"Nothing physically", Naroon replied rather blunt.

Athla had the _trait_ of conversing – a lot. Whenever you're around her, her lips don't stop moving.

_'There was this one time, I had an Ahaelden friend and he-'_  
Just thinking about it made Naroon's bone tingle!  
"I know Religious Castes who speak less", he continued. "Much less"  
Not only that, but the female was terribly self centred, even Myana was aware of that.

"Naroon, you shouldn't speak of her in such a manner"  
"I tell you nothing but the truth, and you cannot deny it, for you avoid contact with her as much as you can. You haven't seen her in three years!"  
"I have duties", she replied dryly.  
"You live a planet away"

Knowing defeat when faced by it, Myana eventually succumbed and agreed to being his guardian for the ritual.

The person that undergoes the ritual makes a so called connection with the souls of the past, who in return give the subject some images, feelings or senses. However, it is the guardian who objectively interprets these feelings and makes the final decision.

Myana, who was held in high reverence within the Clan, was a fair choice for this task.

"I will call you as soon as I have finished. Now I need to ask the hela'mer for the herbs"  
"Naroon", she halted him before hanging up, "Remember the universe will only show you what it wants you to see"

* * *

"Yes, what is it?", Naroon barked at Fara calling him on the comm. link.

He had returned from the medical bay with the herbs he needed – not without a cross examination of his hela'mer, but he couldn't blame the man. When someone comes to ask you for that herb, you know what they're up to. And as Fara had already pointed out, he knew who the possible subject was.  
After weaselling out of defending his own choice, Naroon was relieved to finally be able to perform the ritual itself. Relieved and nervous, for what if it failed?

She couldn't have picked a worse time to interrupt.

"We have a problem, Shai Alyt", she replied professionally. His mind flipped from Naroon to the Shai Alyt.  
"What is the matter?", he worried.  
"The inspection… it's not going well", she admitted.  
"How is that possible? I thought you said all preliminary checks were positive?", he complained.  
"They were. Perhaps it's better if you come down here", she insisted.

Naroon came down to her, in the weapon storage room.  
"What seems to be the problem, Cey'aal?", he tried to ask with as much reverence as he could utter for a Religious Caste snoot.  
"The problem is your Warriors do not know how to maintain an inventory, Shai Alyt", the Cey'aal replied.  
"I resent the belittling of-"  
"Yes, yes, you resent a lot, we have established that", the Master waved away commander's remark. Fara's eyes plead for Naroon's calm from behind the Master's back.

"Would you care to enlighten me with the exact problem, Cey'aal?", Naroon could not withstand the temptation of a sarcastic tone of voice.  
"This box", he pointed at a large box on the floor, labeled 'plasma refills'. One amongst many other identical boxes.  
"It is labelled incorrectly", the Cey'faal pointed out.

Naroon rolled his eyes at the Cey'faal's remark. The box was next to the focusing crystals, which were shipped in identical boxes. It was not uncommon for the two to get mixed up, however this was the first time it happened on the Tiris.  
"My apologies, I will ensure the Warrior responsible learns the difference between plasma refills and focusing crystals", Naroon sighed and prepared to leave.

"That will not suffice, Shai Alyt", the Cey'aal insisted.

_Now what?_

"Is there another problem then?"  
"Yes a very big one. The contents of this box is.. .undefined", Cey'aal Fidell spoke.  
"Unidentified? They are focusing cryst-"

Naroon stopped mid-sentence when Fara removed the cover. It was a crystal, but much larger than a focusing crystal. It coloured black with a glowing purple core inside that appeared to be pulsing.  
He had never seen anything like it before. Howver, what worried him more than what it was, was how it had gotten onto the ship.

"Can you inform me of the nature of the device, Shai Alyt?", the Cey'aal asked in an authoritive tone.  
"I cannot", he admitted.  
"Alright", he replied, pulling an uppish face, "Will you at least inform me of the origins of this crate?"  
"I cannot do that either", Naroon's voice held back a tremble.  
"You cannot tell me where you got it from? Do you at least know how long it has been aboard your ship?", he asked bigheaded.

Before Naroon could reply, Fara intervened: "The last shipment we had aboard was three days ago when we left Minbar. The previous shipments have been double checked by the Shai Alyt himself, so it must have come aboard then"  
"If I am in need of your knowledge Alyt, I will ask for it. As long as I do not, you are advised to remain silent", Cey'aan Fidell was not amused at the Alyt protecting her superior. He would have taken great pleasure in another '_I cannot tell'_.

"I will confiscate the device and have it analysed by our experts. I will let you know our judgement after completing the analysis", the Master threatened.  
Fara looked at Naroon, feeling guilty for a crime she did not commit.

"Alright, now that we have established your crew is inept of keeping the books, let's see what other surprises are in store. Have someone transfer this _item_ to my ship", he commanded the Shai Alyt and walked off, continuing his inspection of the ship.

"Naroon…", Fara spoke as she approached him.  
"Not now", he snapped, "I will do my own digging before he gets a chance"  
He touched his armguard and asked for Kujar to come down.  
"Get this to our Master engineer, see what he can make of it, but make sure you don't take too long. It needs to be transported to his ship as soon as possible"

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Cey'aal _(Adrenato)_: Master Astronomist

(2) - Hayn'aal _(Adrenato)_: Master Crafter

(3) - Roshava _(Lenn'A)_: Red vegetable traditionally grown on Solta Gan, home of the Moon Shields. The vegetable contains main nutritions necessary for Minbari survival, one of them a rare protein varian that helps against dehydration, whish is a frequent problem for space travelers. Its structure is fleshy and shap can be compared to an Earth tomatoe, only larger and sappier.  
Controversially, to be kept properly for space travel, most of the sap needs to be drained in order for he vegetable not to go bad. The sap is processed into a drink complimentary to the meal, but nevertheless the draining effects the taste of the product.

(4) - Vrak _(Vik)_: Idiot


	25. Chapter 25: A new feud

**A new feud**

Cey'aal Fidell had not left without arousing further upheaval. The remaining inspections all proved perfect, hence Naroon found himself in a position for demands.  
He had instructed his Master engineer to 'guard' the package on the Cey'aal's transport ship.

He did not have the necessary equipment to perform a full analysis of the material on the Tiris. If Naroon let the Cey'aal take the substance away, it was likely he would never find out what it really was and would need to take the blame for a mistake that was not his.

If one of his own was present during the investigation, he was guaranteed to get back regular reports. He justified it as 'for the best of the ship', an argument which the Cey'aal himself couldn't counter.

The Warrior would find out what the meaning of this bizarre event was, even if he had to scower the universe to find out.

The ship was allowed to continue its duties until judgement from the Cey'aal would come. Naroon gave it another month at least.  
Enough to start an investigation of his own.

He set some things in motion, made some queries here and there, but would need to wait for the definitive proof of course. Perhaps going through the transport records was not a bad idea. If a box had been mislabelled and thus switched, another box should be in excess somewhere else.

Thankfully the Minbari keep a log of all trade and transportation of goods, for statistical and analytical purposes. He would attempt analyzing the lost box' destination from the records, but knew it would be a tiring and boring task.

He set up his computer with a filtering algorithm to filter out the initial chunk of data, but then left it alone.

There was something else he needed to do first.

* * *

Kalek sat in the common room enjoying a cooled beverage. He had been on the ship since it had left Minbar, but was not feeling much better than at the start.

These Shaibar'nik, they were odd. Their different habits and rituals confused him, annoyed him at times. He had already filled 33 years of age – quite the accomplishment according to himself – under the guidance of the Fe'endumar(1). His sudden transfer was not to his liking, nor was it to the Tiris' crew.

Training had been different. The Shaibar'nik practiced other techniques in battle, used different tactics in assaults and were just plain different in thinking pattern. Adjustment was hard.

Kujar and Moran entered the room – together as always. Moran motioned at Kalek. "Sitting by himself again. Perhaps we should put him out of his misery?", Moran suggested.  
"Grown merciful now have we?", Kujar mocked his friend as he took a pair of refreshing drinks from behind the bar.

Some Warrior vessels had Worker Caste bartenders operate the bar and serve the Warriors, but the Tiris' Shai Alyt was not comfortable with that method.  
"If we can fight, we can work", was his philosophy. The Workers already did enough for them on the ship, no need to give them extra worries where the problem is so easily solved by doing it one's self.

Another thing Kalek had troubles with adjusting. The Alyt had reprimanded him for commanding a Worker to clean his quarters.  
"On the Tiris, we make sure our quarters remain clean so there is no need for stress in any of our minds", she had enlightened him.  
Or in other words: you foul, you clean.

"No, I'm just curious", Moran admitted, "I'm dying to know why he's here"  
A smile was all the confirmation Kujar needed before moving to the seat next to Kalek.

The young Night Walker looked up at the two Shaibar'nik facing him.  
"So, Kalek, has your tongue loosened up after your inauguration period here?", Kujar began with a statement a little more hostile than intended.  
"My tongue is fine, Zha'den(2), thank you", he replied uncaring.  
"Good, then you won't mind using it around us", he replied, Moran shaking his head.  
"Don't mind Kujar, he's always like that", he intervened before the Warrior could react.

"We were interested in how it is you were assigned to the Tiris", Moran tried.  
"Picking my nose?", he replied rather hostile.

_Great, thanks Kujar…_

"Of course. Would you not do the same?", the latter smiled.  
The Shaibar'nik made a valid point. He probably would.

"I was assigned here to learn", he replied in a tone Kujar did not appreciate.  
"Learn what? There is so much you can learn here", Moran insisted.

"Well, it all started with this first contact situation about a month ago. It was my first mission out in the open – finally! – and instead of some first action training, what do I get? Some unknown vessel entering our space", Kalek spoke suddenly a lot more enthusiastic.

"The vessel did not respond to our hails, we did not know what it was, but when I fired at it-"  
"Whoa! You fired – f irst?", Kujar almost spilled his drink.  
"Yes, that's not the point, it-"  
"That _is_ the point! Are you out of your mind?", Kujar interrupted him again.  
"Minbari never start a fight, but always finish it. We _never_ fire first", Moran suddenly sided with Kujar.  
"Oh get real! What's the difference? They can't target us anyhow. Why needlessly wait for them to fire the first shot and risk a lucky blow?", Kalek argued.

At first, the Shaibar'nik thought he may be kidding them, but when the convinced gaze did not leave his eyes, they realised the seriousness of the case.  
This Night Walker hadn't been sent here in a matter of honour, but in disgrace. He should have been outcast for what he did! Especially holding such thoughts after the facts! His actions were on purpose, how preposterous!

Fara – who had followed the conversation from the seat behind Kalek – did not leave her _Zha'den _the chance to reply. She got up, grabbed Kalek by his collar and dragged him out the door.

* * *

Kalek struggled and muttered, but Fara did not let go. She dragged him all the way back to his quarters, where she threw him against the wall.  
"Is it a fight you're looking for? Because I can give you that. Vrak!", she cursed.

Kalek attempted to retaliate with words, but the Alyt did not give him the chance to do so.  
"You come aboard, act as if you own the ship – bossing around the Workers and all that – and now you try to ferment trouble in the common room?", Fara ranted. "I will not tolerate you poisoning the mind of my crew!"

"I was merely stating my opinion", he tried nonetheless.  
"Your opinion is not Minbari! Clearly, your elders felt the same way, but had a merciful moment or you wouldn't be sitting here right now", she continued, "You have been sent here to learn the _proper_ way of the Warrior, the honourable way. This starts with _never firing first_"

She paced around the young recruit, a little taller than she was, carrying a short spiked head bone, their spikes bending drastically downwards according to his Clan's traditions.  
"I will not risk another encounter like that and therefore take over the responsibility of re-educating you from Virell. And I have come up with the perfect way for you to make amends", she grinned.

* * *

Fara walked over to the standard desk that was in the room and hovered over the computer crystals. She copied some files locally and explained Kalek his new duty: "In order for you to never make such a blunder again, you will go through all recorded first contact situations, analyse them and report back to me – daily"

Kalek swallowed when he looked at the records. There was probably fifteen years of work in there…  
"This is what you will do. Until you have masterfully understood the art of battle, you will not participate in any of the outside training events. Theory before practice", she commanded.  
"But that means-"  
"That means that for the next few years you do not leave the ship unless it's collapsing or we're boarded", Fara replied, well-understanding the seriousness of her punishment.

But the cadet did not protest. He accepted the penalisation from the Alyt, though she knew a simple submission would not change his core behaviour. She would have to train him intensively to get rid of a thought pattern like that.

How does one become as such?  
She did not wish to ponder.

"While on the ship, you are in service of the people of Minbar under the watchful name of Shai Alyt Naroon. I presume you have no intentions of dishonouring his name?", she asked.  
"No Alyt, I will apologise to the Shai Alyt", he replied.  
"No, you will start on your tasks immediately. I will decide when you are allowed the privilege of contact with the crew again, but the Shai Alyt? You will have to have masted all before I allow you to speak with him", she stood firm.

Again, the Warrior did not protest, but took her judgement. There was nothing else he could do, he would have to sit this one through.

* * *

Three hours and twenty minutes filled with hallucinations, dreams, out-of-body experiences and more spirituality than Naroon could take had worn him out.

The Insil'Ri was a harsh ritual, at best. The intense concentration the preparation for the ritual required caused for the actual experience to be so intense.  
But had he really been in touch with other souls?

He lay on his meditation matte, exhausted. The drug was finally wearing off. At last he was able to tell reality from fiction.

A conclusion was difficult to make. One always interpreted the images differently to one's guardian because of the emotions involved.

He lay there, putting the dreams into perspective. Some of them logical, others simply bizarre:

One featured Renati covering his back in battle, later tending to him when wounded.

Another was about a new Flarn alteration being released, however made with ingredients so rare it takes a thousand years to grow them. A Human tastes some from his plate, but throws it at the cook, shouting it is not edible. Naroon was too late from stopping the Human throwing away this remarkable piece of work, and would never taste its sweet delights.

Then there was Renati working with Humans, training them.  
How did she do it? Had she really forgotten her hatred for them? Or had she grown soft? She could not feel compassion for them, let alone follow their ideas… could she?

"Do you think you can replace me with her?", a bleeding Nerdir looked up at his brother with a cold look in his eyes.

And then, there she was, pure and perfect. Her body against his, warm and soft. Her eyes squinty in enjoyment… Renati… Akel? Fara?!

But suddenly.. Renati stood in front of him, in the middle of a battlefield gone wrong. She looked over her shoulder, but her face showed no emotion. She looked away again and walked away into the mist of slaughter on her way to the fountain of peace, where he could not follow.

"Ridiculous", Naroon shook his head at some of his visions. What strangeness had the universe brought upon him?

Nevertheless, he would have to tell the visions to Myana as they occurred, however puzzling they may be.

She would bring him judgement in the morning.

* * *

"What is it with that Clan? First the mother, now the daughter", the elder female of Mir complained to her companions after seeing the Shaibar'nik's testimony of the ritual.  
"Mind that thought!", the elder female of Chu'Domo protested.  
"What did you expect? She was raised by a Vonilbok. We should have intervened then", Myana spoke to her group of trustees.

The elderly females formed one of Minbari society's most secret organizations – or trustfully know as the 'tea circle', a naming they preferred.  
It consists out of two elders of the Family of Chu'Domo and Mir, both Religious Caste, one elder of the Shaibar'nik and another of the Oorehak, the Worker Caste's City Builders guild.

All females are renown within their Caste, one older than the next. They hold no 'official' ruling title, however they carry so much influence within their Caste they could easily move a large part of the it to their will.

Instead of feasting on personal power the original elders of this tea circle – rooting many generations ago – decided to bundle their social powers for the benefit of the Minbari people.

Every generation they scout for the most influencing Minbari to be included in their highly selective fellowship. Those selected are granted the burden of deciding on the fate of many diverse issues keeping the Minbari people busy.

These issues reach from where to build the next training temple to who should be assigned to which ship. They do not control all of course, however the most notable decisions taken in Minbari history are influenced by this circle.

Its size depends on the era. At present, it consists of five. The members are addressed by Clan, Family or Guild name, leaving familiarities at the door.

Through their influences, the members had obtained all necessary information about the Shai Alyt's recent occupations. A necessary action after having seen the surprise on Mayana's face.  
"She must be extraordinary if she caught his attention", had been her comment. The revelation that she was Religious Caste had obviously come as a shock, but the more worrying part was that this one had been raised by a Warrior.

"We have no jurisdiction on the Vonilbok and you know that", Chu'Domo put Myana – or rather Shaibar'nik – in her place.  
"She is Anla'shok. You could have done something through Rathenn", she replied feistily.  
"Rathenn likes the girl, he has from the beginning. And so does Lenonn, who was highly in favour of her Warrior upbringing may I remind you", Chu'Domo defended herself.  
"They should've made her Vonilbok from the start", Oorehak concluded the discussion.  
"Correct, but it was not her decision. Should she pay the price for a decision that was not hers? That is the matter to discuss here", Myana confronted her peers.

"It is not Renati who is on trial here, it is the young Shai Alyt", Chu'Domo countered again.  
"No Chu'Domo, by putting him on trial we deal with the two. What we decide for him, we decide for both of them", it was Mir who tried putting things into perspective.  
"The Shai Alyt is the problem", Chu'Domo stressed, "If it were a rank soldier I wouldn't mind…"  
Mir wanted to comment on Chu'Domo's misplaced thoughts, but was caught off by Myana.

"He's one of Akel's trustees", she clarified, "We should have anticipated he would be a possibility, however I never considered him the type"  
"I thought he was with his Alyt", Oorehak commented.  
"She's with him… but he's not with her", Myana explained.  
"Oh, one of those…"

"You know him personally Shaibar'nik, tell us your thoughts on the matter", Mir asked for a clearer view.  
"Naroon is a valiant, honourable Shai Alyt. He has served the Warrior Caste and my Clan for over eighty years, without question of loyalty. However, if he sets his mind to something, he is set out to get it", she warned.

"What would be the price?", Chu'Domo confronted.  
"I anticipate he would reject Clan and Caste and go ahead anyway, just for the sake of forcing us to open our minds", Myana replied in honesty.  
"A rebel", Chu'Domo almost spat.  
"A revolutionary", Naroon got Oorehak's backing.  
"Imagine the revolt if he were to go public"

"Going Casteless out of love? Possibly just lust at this stage? Unacceptable", Chu'Domo scurried the thought out of her mind.  
"But popular with the youngsters", Oorehak warned her companions.

"We need to come to a conclusion by tomorrow", Myana tempered the elderly spirits. "Let us reconvene after this has sunk in"

"Alright, what is next?"

* * *

_Perhaps I should at least check if he's alright_, a slightly worried Fara thought. She hadn't seen Naroon in the follow-up meeting regarding the inspection, nor did he fulfil his shift for today. He had arranged for a replacement, however he had not supplied a reason.  
A Shai Alyt never needs to, but Naroon usually tells his Alyt.

It couldn't be Renati keeping him busy, for she had been secluded herself. The other Religious Caste was keeping too tight an eye of her to miss the two meeting.

No, it had to be something else keeping Naroon's attention. But she was curious as to what.  
Besides, she still needed to tell him of the change of plans regarding the Fe'endumar. He would not be happy to hear he was going to have a Night Walker stuck on his ship for the next couple of years, but she trusted he would see the value of the lesson.

The door crystal tingled under her touch.  
"Enter", his familiar voice sounded.  
Fara walked in and smiled. Just as she was to ask him how he was, she smelled the scent of candles.

_That scent!_  
Insil'Ri...

Her heart sank to her knees as she realised what _her _Shai Alyt had been up to. How could he? Was he really that set on embarrassing them all?  
She wanted to hit him, but reconsidered. He was not even worth the effort of her punch.

Without words, she turned around and left.

* * *

"Your verdict?", Naroon asked his friend Myana over the comm. link. Though he had mediated, he was still nervous.  
Naroon was used to taking decisions that sometimes kicked the shins of others, but nothing that couldn't be helped. His mind feared that maybe this time he had gone too far.

It was not solely Renati, but more the idea behind it. The power of finally being able to take a decision of his own without consequences, restrictions or conditions. That is what he yearned for: free will without implications.  
Would she grant him that delight?

"Before I give you my advise, I want you to tell me if there is anything else I should know about her", Myana forced him.  
Naroon shuffled back and forth uncomfortably. Myana's gaze felt like an eagle bowing down over its prey, deciding which bit would be more delicious to prick first.  
She knew!

"She is of the Religious Caste", Naroon admitted, cornered.  
His friend stared at him briefly, weighing the perfect answer.  
"Why did you not tell me before? Something like this is worth mentioning, don't you think?"  
"I did not want it to influence your judgement. Objectivity was of utmost importance for interpreting the images, Myana"

She wanted to reply in anger, for she was angry – no insulted even – he had not told her first off, but his counterargument proved valid. Blast Naroon and his speechfulness!  
"But you knew nonetheless", he swapped his corner for the upper hand.  
"Yes, I did"

Again Myana merely looked at her friend. Her mind and heart were battering with each other over what to tell him. The images had shown her the two souls were compatible, but that was before she knew of the origins of the female.

Renati. The one whose parents had already made a mistake.  
Could she let Naroon make the same?

If she told him their souls do not connect, he would not have perused it – if he had not know she knew of the Anla'Shoks Caste.

But he knew.  
Would he rebel as punishment for her lying to him? Could she even justify lying to a fellow Shai Alyt? A friend?

"You are compatible"  
Naroon's eyes closed in relief, but he held back a sigh.  
"Thank you"

The confidence in his friend was stronger than before. If she could put aside her personal opinion for such a delicate matter, she was truly great. Honourable of her title.

"Naroon"  
"Yes?"  
"No harm may come to the Clan. Do not make this our downfall", she spoke from the heart.  
"I seek neither harm nor disrespect Myana, merely freedom of choice"  
"Then our minds agree"

* * *

Myana turned to her eagerly present companions after switching off the link.

"There will be next time", Chu'Domo warned, not entirely satisfied with the circle's decision.  
"At least we have controlled the damage. If it gets out of hands, we will force him to commit – as we agreed", Myana stressed.

"And by doing so opening the path to an even hotter topic amongst the young, interesting", Oorehak commented with a grin as she enjoyed sipping her tea.

The old Worker Caste was pleased with the changes in society. Regardless of her age, her mind followed the thoughts of the young.  
The blessing of being a slave of the creative.

* * *

It had been several days since the completion of his ritual, but Naroon had not yet run into Renati. They had dropped off Varas two days ago – unfortunately he didn't get to see her before she left.

They were closing in on Arisia Colony, Renati's destination. It was time to try and catch her before she left as well.

He had looked in the common room, the mess hall and the training room, but there was no sign of her.

Was something the matter with her? Had he insulted her with his absence?  
Surely, she could not be that light-footed.

"Locate individual: Renati, Anla'Shok", he spoke into his arm guard.  
"Lookup successful. Current locations: Quarters X23, F deck", the computer voice spoke back.

_Going by her quarters... Was that a good idea? _  
What if she wanted to take things one step at a time? He did not want to scare her away again.

No, if he was going to attempt the first decision in his life he wanted to take without repercussions from the Clan or any others, he would do it properly. He would court her, as is appropriate.  
Unless of course, _she_ courted _him_.

Now there's an interesting thought.

He took the lift to her level, but as he stepped out the ship's alarm sounded.  
"Shai Alyt, please report to the bridge immediately! We have an emergency!", Suveni's voice sounded through his arm guard.

_Emergency? Now?!_

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Fe'endumar _(Adrenato)_: Night Walkers, a Warrior Clan. Last of the five Warrior Clans. The Night Walkers are a specific breed of Warrior, usually keeping to themselves. Their introvert nature alienates them from the other Clans, the sources of manier frustrations and fueds. The Night Walkers are the ones who tend to tread more lightly on heavily valued concepts such as honour and valour.  
Their Clan-specific fighting techniques carry blinks to thieving methods, quite controversial of course.  
They are currently lead by Shai Alyt Shakiri

(2) - Zha'den _(Adrenato, VIk, Lenn'A)_: Warrior

* * *

Next chapter: **The Arisia Massacre**

Coming very soon so stay tuned!


	26. Chapter 26: The Arisia Massacre part I

**Author's note**

The following deviates from the 'original' Arisia massacre as described in the book 'To Dream in the City of Sorrows' because our personal beliefs are different to the ones followed in the novel, especially concerning timelines. We hope you are open to this new scenario!

* * *

**The Arisia massacre – part I**

Naroon arrived on the bridge, calm and controlled. Out the window he noticed several chunks of debris floating around.  
"Report', he spoke to his second.

Fara turned around, but hesitated for a split second to reply. She was overcome by a sudden sense of comfort, of safety. Naroon had the power to do that to people, especially to her. Whenever he appeared on the bridge, the crew was different, as if infected by a flood of reassurance.

To a stranger it would appear like she was some crazed groupie admiring her teen-loved pop star, but even though her reaction was intensified by her feelings towards him, she was not the first to stop and stare at his presence.

Startled by her own reflex, she shook herself out of the trance the Shai Alyt had unwillingly put upon her and informed him of the situation.

"We just jumped to normal space and landed in this debris field. We're scanning it right now, but we don't know what it is – or supposed to be", she replied with haste.

Naroon studied the field on the scanners and view screens further until Fara spoke again:  
"I think it was one of those class F stations. We destroyed a few of those during the war"  
The Shai Alyt walked over to the control panel that was analysing the rubble and putting it all together again.  
"It's a class D", he corrected, "It belongs to a mining colony"

"Mining? That explains the low presence of weapons", the elderly Suveni reasoned out loud.  
"Bah, Human stations. They still look the same", Fara tried clearing up her misstep.  
A positive chuckle followed from the slightly amused crew, but was put to seriousness again by their Shai Alyt.  
"Never mind the previous appearance of the station, what happened to it? Another malfunction?"  
"We're still analysing the energy readings Shai Alyt. They're inconclusive"

"What do the life form readings say?"  
"Nothing much…", Kor Suveni replied.  
"What about on the um rock", Naroon considered what he was looking at no planet, barely a moon at that.  
It was nothing more than a charred piece of rubble. It's pretty hard to believe people would actually – voluntarily – live on it.

"We tried, but we can't get through that", Suveni pointed at the giant dust cloud covering the _rock_'s surface.  
"I read the planet has its share of sand storms, but this looks a bit much", he concluded.  
"What is that?", Fara spoke up.  
"Enlarge", she said hovering over the crystals.

The scene showed a large chasm following a straight line going from one part of a continent, through a settlement and halfway through the middle of that continent.  
It was wide enough to be noticed from space, so its actual diameter had to be enormous.

The settlement was a large bunker complex covered by a now partially broken dome, undeniably Earthgov technology.  
As the Shai Alyt suspected, the bunkers were not of the military type. Withstanding storms and temperature fluctuations was their main objective, keeping the people alive in comfort came secondly.

"The space station did not malfunction. Look", Fara spoke and showed her superior the readings.  
"From the energy readings and debris marks we have so far, we can make up something hit it", she explained.  
"Why would anyone attack an unarmed Human colony? Out here?", Naroon spoke out loud.  
"Maybe they ticked off the wrong species again", Fara's cunning reply came.

Again laughter filled the bridge and it was up to Naroon to keep the nostalgic Warriors from getting too battle ready.  
"However possible that may be, I seriously doubt Arisia colony would be the first place _we_ would strike. It has no tactical value whatsoever", he replied.  
Fara snickered at the Shai Alyt's little slip of the tongue, but maintained her professionalism.

"Something about this still doesn't add up", she quickly reset the mood, "What do they mine? Quantium 40?"  
"No, some ore that is useful for their weapons according to this", Suveni replied while going through the records of the colony.  
"Something metallic from what I can tell"  
"Who else would that be valuable to?", the Alyt investigated further.  
"The Centauri don't use it, the Narn use Centauri, the Drazi have no interest in it at all, the Brakiri are not up to the task and the Vree are simply based too far away for an action this large. Perhaps raiders, but it's too big for a raider attack as well", Fara summed up all possibilities.

"This is of course assuming they were mining some ore down there", Naroon pointed out, " We know the Humans: they often have something covering their real base of operations. Perhaps they were doing something else down there, other than mining"

He paused for a minute and pondered.  
"Could something on the surface of have destroyed the space station? Does it match the energy readings? Perhaps one of their own experiments turned against them"  
"Inconclusive", Suveni reported, "The readings are still scrambled due to the high energy bursts. Whatever happened here Shai Alyt happened recently…"

"Alright", he kept the crew in suspense while considering the options.  
"How's the environment down there?"  
"Hostile at best", Suveni replied, "Pressure is just above acceptable. As long as exposure is in limited amounts, it shouldn't do any damage, but I wouldn't recommend a leisurely walk around the block"  
"Oxygen?"  
"Breathers only. I presume those domes on the surface have their own oxygen supplies, but as some of them have been heavily damaged, it will be a miracle if they hold the pressure together, let alone the oxygen level", revealed the diagnosis.

"Good. That means we can send a scouting party down there and be the first to figure out what happened", Naroon concluded.

"Shai Alyt, the chasm near the dust cloud still worry me. If that was not the result of some failed Human experiment, it can have no other origin than a hostile attack. Bearing in mind that everything points to a recent occurrence…", Suveni cautioned his leader.  
Naroon nodded in agreement and spoke: "I'll go and find out what the Anla'Shok knows about this _before_ we send anyone down"

"Why don't we send the Anla'Shok?", Fara suggested as Naroon left.  
"Good idea, I'll take her with me", he replied and left Fara annoyed, beaten at her own game.

* * *

Renati sat comfortably in her quarters, going through the documentation she had on William's missions and Arisia colony. She was rather confident the alarm was the product of a Warrior drill. Besides, she was on a Minbari war cruiser, what could happen?

She flicked through some personal information on William, recalling his profile.  
_His native planet, really? _

Then, something caught her attention in the corner of her eye.  
"Ce'fa Bar(1)?", she wondered, seeing a chunk of debris floating by her window.  
_I'll check it out, just to be sure_, she though and ran out the door.

When the door opened, Renati felt like she hit a brick wall and fell down onto her behind.  
"Oomfh", she complained, unprepared for whatever it was she hit.  
"Going somewhere?", a puzzled Shai Alyt looked down to her. He didn't even budge! Bloody Warrior sturdiness…

"Shai Alyt", she bowed and got up, embarrassed.  
"What's the hurry?", he asked, reconsidering his aid to get her up. She seemed uncomfortable and troubled.

Renati pointed at the now multiple parts of debris floating innocently by her window. The Warrior smiled. "I was just coming to get you. We have a few questions for you", he spoke and gestured for her to follow.

They stepped onto one of the platforms in a shaft that acts as a lift and rode it down. In the meantime, Naroon projected a mini-display of the damaged colony from his arm guard.  
"Do you know of any weapon that can do this kind of damage?"

Renati studied it closely before replying.  
"Not out of personal experience… but yes", she could not lie.

"But where's the station? There should be a station", she did not give him the choice to inquire further.  
He zoomed out and noted the debris floating around everything, including the ship.  
"Don't give me that look, it was like that when I got here!", he smiled, but Renati missed his Warrior humour.

"We must go down there", Renati replied.  
"Alyt Fara is assembling a squadron", he confirmed.  
"I would like to volunteer to join. I have to find him", she asked.  
"Oh you were the first to be selected"  
"Really? Thank you", she replied pleased.  
"I'm sure your excellent stealth skills will be of good use"

Renati just looked puzzled, missing how her Anla'Shok stealth would benefit the mission. After an uneasy silence, it was Naroon who picked up the conversation again.  
"I'm sorry you are so bored the past few days"  
"I beg your pardon?"

The Warrior was confusing her more and more by the minute. Why would she be bored?  
"I know you have visited my ship several times before, but to not leave your quarters for the past three days, that's just ridiculous. Have I offended you in any way?", he confronted her.

Renati was shocked and startled, unable to control her facial expression. She hit her eyes to the floor, thinking up a believable but truthful way out of the situation. Naroon waited patiently for her answer.  
"It's just, I was-"

"At last. Can we go?", the annoyed voice of Fara broke up the conversation when they reached the docking bay.  
"We have only two more hours of day time, or one and a half – I can't tell", she specified.

The planet's internal core had been corrupted by the intensive mining the Humans exercised. At one time, they had gone too far and had disrupted something deep within.  
Ever since, the planet suffers from an irregular rotating pattern, giving days of 48 hours at some times and days of 5 at others. The pattern was irregular and impossible to accurately predict.

Along with that came the sandstorms and many more geological issues. Naroon wondered once again why anyone would have the patience for a life on that rock.

"Thank you Alyt. You have the bridge", he dismissed her.  
Armed and ready in full battle gear, Fara watched with grinding teeth as Naroon accompanied the Anla'Shok himself into the shuttle and sat on the spot she had reserved for her own.

Given, the Shai Alyt would usually accompany a scouting crew down to the surface, but just this one time she wanted to go, if only to keep an eye on _her_.

* * *

Descending down to a planet in a Minbari shuttle would be quite the experience for a Human soldier. They did not suffer from the gravitational difference like the Human systems did, technology took care of that. It was not a rollercoaster ride for a Minbari, but a pleasant trip downwards.

The scenery below was impressive, to say the least. Giant domes held an intricate web of civilian housing.  
The mining was probably done deeper into the surface, Kujar figured. He too was impressed by man's ability to live down here.

Sure, the Minbari had some inhospitable colony worlds like Shengol for example, which was frozen across the entire surface.  
But even the small teams of Workers sent down there were not stationed there permanently. Half a cycle at most.  
Aside from the Night Walker Clan testing their weapons on the other side of the planet, no one enjoyed their stay there.

"I'm nearing a clearing, I'm going to try to put us down here, Shai Alyt", the pilot warned his commander.  
He turned the vessel around with swift movement, variations in level practically immeasurable.  
The rear of the ship now faced one of the Human docking bays, however the ship could not fit on the platform.

"Requesting permission to knock some debris over"  
"Knock away", replied the Shai Alyt.

Using the landing gear of the shuttle, the pilot knocked over the debris blocking their way.  
When he descended, one of the winds of the storm blew a chunk back, scratching the ship's hull with an eerie sound.  
"You're going to paint that!", Moran joked from the back, knowing the ship's engineer Durlan will have his bone for scratching the beauty.

When the vessel finally rested on the ground, Naroon ordered his squadron ready. "Breathers on, weapons hot"  
Without further explanation, Kujar and Moran took the lead, followed by Naroon who stayed by their guest's side and closed again by the other two Warriors assigned by Fara, one of them being the pilot.

"Scan immediate environment", Naroon ordered.  
"Scan complete. No life signs"  
"Open pressure door"

Another door faced them, this one Human made. Kujar turned to Renati, who made a circular motion with her finger. He turned the bolt in the direction the Anla'Shok indicated and the door opened.

The Warriors including Renati dashed forward, thus infiltrating the facility. The hallways were broad and rather high for a compound of its size.  
The inner walls were curved, not suited for any kind of tactical deployment. Because of its circular built corners were practically absent, leaving out the possibility of convenient covering places.  
It was clearly a civilian compound, for these Warriors impractical at best.  
"They never stood a chance", Renati muttered under her breath.

Suddenly, her arm guard vibrated, giving her a faint signal of life. She signalled the others, who followed its direction.  
Somewhat further down the tunnel, the rampage that had happened here became clear.  
Electrical cables bucketed dangerously about, still sizzling. Debris from collapsed supportive pillars blocked some of the doors and so it went on.  
When they reached a large glass outside wall, the first two Warriors stopped.

There it was: the gaping wound of the planet. The diameter twice the size of their shuttle took their breath away. The cutting pattern was so clean, even the Shai Alyt swallowed. They could not see the end of the pit, it seemed to go on forever downward.  
This had not been done by Human technology. This was no accident.

"Let's just hope whoever it was, they've gone", Moran commented dryly, adding to the general consensus.  
"And hope we never run into them again", Renati added without faith in her words.

She continued on to the end of the hallway where a pile of rubble too dense to cross blocked her path.  
"The signal is coming from the other side", she spoke with eager eyes.  
"Can we blast through?", she asked when she saw the Shai Alyt touching the surface.  
"We would do more damage than good. It's very likely the rest of the structure collapses if we attempt to do so. I advise going around the other side", replied while consulting his at-real-time generated floor plan.

The other side would take longer, but would eventually lead them to their destination. All the more time for finding survivors and interrogating them. But first, someone else needed to be grilled.

"Perhaps you would like to explain what happened here before we dash ourselves into the unknown?", Moran insisted.  
"Exactly", Kujar added while the five cornered her against the wall.  
"If I'm going first in on this, I want to know what we are facing. Or you go first"

Renati considered his offer, but wisely declined.  
"Alright, you can explain as we walk there", Naroon set the group in motion.  
Once in formation, he turned his attention towards his guest and asked her to speak up.  
"You won't believe me anyhow", she shrugged.  
"You were chosen for this party for a reason"  
"Your reason being?"  
"You being Anla'Shok, information gatherer", he clarified, "You were not the least bit surprised by the havoc. You have seen this before"

"It is as I have feared", Renati admitted, "This is a Shadow attack"  
"What's a shadow attack?", Kujar asked without looking behind him. "Is it some kind of new technique? I know shadowing, shadow tag, but no plain shadow attack"  
"No, an attack by _the_ Shadows. The species", she explained.  
"The Shadows? They have been gone for a thousand years, we defeated them", Moran said.  
"We didn't", Renati argued.

"Valen defeated them, it's in the scriptures", he insisted.  
"We did not defeat them Moran, we merely drove them away. And Valen also said they would come back in a thousand years.  
There have been many signs over the past Rilz'Valzha(2), but this is the first massive move on a planet", she stressed.  
"Apparently weapons testing", she added with a sarcastic tone.

"So you're saying the Shadows have returned to destroy a Human away station?", Kujar replied with heavy suspicion.  
"The Shadows _have_ returned, but they will build their empire more carefully this time. It is as Valen has predicted", she replied.  
"They're very obvious about it!"  
"No they're not", Renati argued. "Who cares about Arisia colony?"  
"Well I don't", the pilot of the shuttle replied, but was met by a disciplinary look of his commander

"If it weren't for the Anla'Shok that had gone missing, we would not have known. This would have been overlooked for a long time, erasing the traces of the attack.  
We would have ascribed this tragedy to a malfunction or Human error. Because this place has no weapons worth mentioning and is of no real value to anyone, this was the perfect place for them to strike unnoticed.  
Unfortunately for them, coincidence decided to intervene"

The Warriors went quiet for a moment, realising any opposition had probably been eradicated already.  
"Civilians or not, these are still Humans. Keep your bones up", Naroon ordered, anticipating the thoughts of his men.  
As they continued down the hallway, Naroon's arm guard received a scrambled transmission.

"Sending a file through krrrrrsh", Fara's voice announced.  
"Patch it through, and boost the signal. You're breaking up", Naroon rolled his eyes in annoyance.  
"Can you hear me now?", she asked, poking Suveni to regulate the controls.  
"Yes, that's better. Set all to receive"  
"I picked this up from a Human tachyon stream"

A small video display appeared on their mini monitors.

'This is ISN Broadcast, bringing you the news of the galaxy.

We have just heard of a tragedy on Arisia colony. One of the sub reactors controlling the mining operation malfunctioned and caused a chain reaction of events. Both main reactors on the ground facility as well as the overlooking station overloaded do to this error and caused a massive explosion.

Family members of any of the inhabitants may contact(…)'

"What by Shintavi!? When did you receive this?", Naroon asked in disbelief.  
"A few minutes ago", she said, enjoying his surprise.  
"I was astonished as you are"

"How could they even know? We're the only ones here, are we not?", Kujar protested.  
"The answer has been given, now let's search for the question. Welcome to the world of the Anla'Shok", Renati smiled and pressed them onwards.

* * *

"Do you think the Humans could be joining heads with the Shadows?", Moran asked as they continued their fruitless search for the missing Anla'Shok.  
Renati couldn't hold her laughter, but quickly apologised.  
"No, the Shadows would wipe them out simply for thinking that. I think what we have here is a classic example of Human cover up missions.

There probably _was_ something else going on around here, something other than the mining. Rather than take the chance of their secrets being unveiled by an investigation crew, they cover everything up as an accident.  
Given the damage, it's not difficult to believe one of their reactors did sing its last song.

No, the Shadow attack and the Human cover up are purely coincidental", she clarified.  
"All the more reason to be on our toes. What could they have been doing here _besides_ mining?", Naroon wondered out loud.  
"I do not think you would like to ponder on that", Renati advised as they continued.

They stepped into a large courtyard, somewhat of an interior garden. The room reached until the very top of the dome, with a balcony on every one of the four levels.  
There were many plants and trees scattered about, most of them torn out of their regular place in the garden frame.

Moran looked puzzled at the vegetation. "Now what's this?"  
"I told you this is a civilian outpost. This is their… well the closest thing they have to nature", Renati explained.  
"What is the use of this? These plants don't generate enough oxygen to support this environment", he complained.  
"This one isn't a plant at all", Kujar added, stroking his fingers over a plastic leaf.  
"All these plants have been chosen purely for esthetical reasons. There is nothing more to this garden than relaxation of the mind", she explained.

The Warriors were puzzled at her notion. Why would someone go through the trouble of building a complex vegetation filled room and then fill it with useless plants? Never mind the aesthetics, it's far more efficient if the plants did actually add to the oxygen production of the station.

"You know a lot about the Humans", Moran noted her more intimate knowledge of things. The flora preference of the species was not exactly something they found out about during the war…  
She did not pay attention to the remark. They knew very well she has trained Human Anla'Shok, let them do the math.  
"All I need to know is where to find them and how to kill them" , Kujar joked but was told off by Naroon.  
"Behave"

Suddenly something rustled in the bushes. Kujar and Moran moved in attack formation toward the sound. In the blink of an eye, Kujar launched a plasma burst from his armguard – eliminating the threat.  
"Got it!", he exclaimed victoriously.

The two rear warriors were ordered to accompany Moran and Kujar in the investigation of the body, but returned laughter instead.  
"Shai Alyt, you have to come and see this", the pilot urged.  
Naroon walked over to the dead corpse of some sort of animal.

"How… _precise_ of you", Renati commented when she arrived at the scene.  
"Indeed, you killed a-", but Naroon wasn't sure what it was.  
"Cat. The Human equivalent of a Gok. Just smaller and less efficient", Renati added.  
"Did it pose a threat?", Moran asked trying to at least save the honour of his friend.  
"It has retractable claws", she replied.  
"But surely they were poisonous?"  
"No"

Naroon rolled his eyes at the overconfidence of his soldier. He killed a domesticated animal, how warrior of him…  
"Set your weapons to stun, we want to interrogate the survivors for what happened here. Remember your mission", he spoke to his troop.  
"Move on"

They continued down the courtyard, making use of the wrecked flora for cover. Renati looked at the silent fountain in the middle of a small pool they passed by. Inefficient, but it did carry esthetical value.  
Of course, if it were Minbari made, the fountain would be part of a water purification system or something useful aside from being a pretty addition...

Suddenly a voice cried out to them from behind a tree:  
"You filthy Minbari! I knew it was you! You didn't get me last time, you won't get me now either!"

"Watch out!", Naroon warned Renati and pushed her aside as the man fired his gun. He carried some ancient relic – the Shai Alyt identified it as a shot gun of some kind – but with no indication of time or type.

The Human jumped backwards from the backfire, but was disappointed he had hit nothing but plant.  
Kujar and Moran did not falter in the opening moment and frontally assaulted the man. It was Kujar who fired the first – and only – shot.

The Human took the burst to the chest and fell to the floor.  
"Was that shoot or stun?", he asked.  
"Stun"  
Kujar moaned in regret.

"Is everyone alright?", the Shai Alyt made sure none of his men got hit by stray fire. Affirmatives can from all but one.  
"What happened to you?", Naroon asked in surprise when he noticed a soaking wet Renati.

She did not reply, but accepted his hand that helped her out of the fountain.  
"My apologies, I assumed the thread to be more….. threatening", he cowered.  
"At least it wasn't a Gok"  
"Is this at all dangerous?", Moran asked no one in particular when he picked up the gun from the clenching human hand.  
"It is at close range", Naroon warned them and took it.

He efficiently disarmed the gun by removing its cartridges and then dropped it to the floor, blowing off the tip of the double barrel with a plasma blast.

"In case he wakes up before we're gone"

* * *

The party continued further into the complex, following the faint indication of the missing Anla'Shok.  
Their path was not without obstacles. Here and there, parts of the structure were still on fire. The Warriors had put out the parts they could, but this was not a major rescue mission. There was no time for playing fireman.

The goal was to get in, get the Anla'Shok – or in the Warriors' eyes whatever is left of him – and get out. If they could – reluctantly – assist the Humans in easing their suffering in the mean time, fine, but they would not go through great lengths to achieve it. That was not the mission.

"I'm reading life signs in that room up ahead, Shai Alyt", the pilot informed Naroon in a based voice. He signalled the two front men to open the door.  
The big dented steel door groaned under the movement, but opened nonetheless.

A small object was propelled outward as soon as the opening became large enough.  
"Erac!(3)", Kujar bellowed and dashed backwards.  
The five Warriors retreated with admirable reflexes, leaving Renati wide open. Anla'Shok or not, her task was to stay out of trouble, hence she lacked the reflexes sometimes when she _did_ get into a pickle.

Naroon saw the danger for one of _his_ and returned, jumping in front of her right before the blast. The force of the air pressure pushed them over, Renati safely covered by Naroon's warmth.  
"Careful", he urged her with a kind look into her eyes.

Vreni, the pilot, walked up to his Shai Alyt and broke a crystal by smashing it onto his back.  
Liquid smoke covered the back of his padded armour, extinguishing the flames.  
"Nusen'taal", he thanked his subordinate. When he got up and saw the damage his suit had suffered, agitation boiled his blood.

_Humans_

"Allow me the pleasure", the Shai Alyt spoke and passed his men by.  
With precise shots he stunned three more that tried opposing him, but the fourth dropped his weapon in surrender.  
Not that he was much of a challenge: the dark purple bruise on his head told the Shai Alyt that something heavy had struck this creature during the attack. It was remarkable he was still within his senses.

The Shaibar'nik walked over to the victim, impressive as any Minbari Warrior appears to a Human. The man paced a couple of steps backward, but tumbled over the limb of one of his sedated friends.  
The yelp of mercy did not impress Naroon, nor did it anger him. It did not matter now that this was a Human. This was a creature in distress and right now, he was the predator.

"What happened", Naroon tried in a neutral voice.  
"Minbari bastards!", the Human spat.  
The Moon Shield rolled his eyes and got on one knee in front of his prey: "No, before that"  
"Lost contact with the station…. Then everything came down", he sat and coughed up some blood on his ash-blackened clothes. The Minbari studied the Human, but saw no further vital wounds aside from the blow to the head. Perhaps he would survive, given proper care.

"Do with me as you wish", the Human spoke frightened, "But please, stay away from the children"  
"Where are the children", Naroon asked curiously.

The man stared into nothingness, imagining his afterlife spent in hell. Had he just revealed the presence of the innocent to this monster? How would he explain that to his maker? How could he justify it?

_I will not let him have them!_

They were better off starving to death than in the hands of a Minbari. He kept his lips sealed and looked away from the eyes prying him for information. He flinched when the Warrior got up, expecting an excruciating break of some facial bone, but it did not follow.

"Useless, we'll find them anyway", Naroon said neutral and in effect meaning no harm.  
"Stay away from them you murderous beast!", he squealed, confused by the Warrior's lack of aggression and spat in his face.

Sheer willpower held the Shai Alyt back from finishing off the Human right there. But the creature knew of no other way. His stupidity was no reason for his death – not this time.  
Angered nevertheless, he got up and flared at Renati: "You deal with this!"

The Anla'Shok walked over to the Human, who was frightened even more now that the Warriors left the room to calm their commander.  
"I will ask you again, what happened?", she tried with a gentle voice.

Before the Human got a chance to make another snite remark, Renati made use of his surface thoughts to enter his mind.  
The mind was chaotic and… green. She could not make heads or tails of it first, but persisted nonetheless. Memories of youth as well as of late went by.

She saw a communiqué between himself and his aunt, whose post was on the orbital station.  
"Something's here! They are……. …… ……. Under attack! Must……… Julie…….. get to….."  
The transmission went blank.

Renati shook her head at the explosion of memories that came her way and fought hard not to scream.

_The children, where are the children? _

Then she saw it: a small group – no larger than a classroom – of children being guided into the underground tunnels by two panic-stricken females.

"Why didn't you kill him Shai Alyt? He deserves it", a voice from the outside disrupted Renati's concentration.  
"There was nothing to be gained from his death. He was merely protecting his offspring", Naroon replied as a wise Shai Alyt should.

He hid the feelings of vengeance he fostered nonetheless. But that's what made him a Shai Alyt and them his followers: he knew when to strike wrongful feelings down.

Just before they could reply, Renati interrupted the scene: "They're in the tunnels"

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Ce'fa Bar _(Adrenato)_: What in the world?

(2) - Rilz'Valzha _(Adrenato)_: Minbari equivalent of decade

(3) - Erac _(Vik)_: Grenade

**Part II coming very soon!**


	27. Chapter 27: The Arisia Massacre part II

**The Arisia massacre - part II**

It was in the mining tunnels that the true damage of the massacre became clear. Bodies lay scattered around, some intact others in several places at once... the battlefield was impressive.

Most of them had died from collapsing rubble or the like. It didn't look like any troops had been sent down to eliminate the civilians. Moran shrugged at the thought of troops from the Ancient Enemy.

What would they look like? In fact, what _did_ the Ancient enemy look like? Were they humanoid like the Centauri? Or more reptilian like the Narn?  
Perhaps they were insectoid or simply matter, like the weird hyperspace creatures the space faring Minbari frantically avoided.

In any case, whatever the troops' bodily form may be, Moran could not imagine facing them in combat would be to his advantage.

A race that has been the cause of nightmares for many a races for centuries would not only have mastered the art of fighting, but think of the technology they must possess. Body armour barely penetrable, firing weapons with exquisite shot, perhaps even personal shields.

Renati sensed the soldier's unease, but could not speak. He would not appreciate the thought of her plucking his. So she moved on.

The Warriors, carrying visors now to enhance their vision in the dark underground tunnels, continued along the dusty underground complex.

Visors are a reliable and safe way to investigate any type of dark area, but especially one with such a high inflammation ratio as a mining shaft.  
One never knows what alien fumes a crystal light may spark.

With the Warriors securing the perimeter, Renati took the lead by following the tracks of the survivors.  
Finally, she could contribute!

She advanced with caution as she expected more resistance from the Humans. Things had gone too easily.

Up ahead there was some skirmish of footsteps. Abruptly she halted the company, a little too loud to her liking.

"Hey Mike, did ya hear that?"  
"What?", another voice replied, closer than Renati had expected.  
"I think they're in 'em tunnels"  
"How can you be sure? Lemme see", the last one replied. He reached for something in his pocket, but Renati was too late to stop him.

"DUCK!", she warned the assault party and dropped to the ground, burying herself in the dusty residue as far as she could.

The flame from the Human's lighter instantly reacted with the gas that filled the tunnel. The inferno raged through it with enormous speed and warmth, devouring almost anything standing in its path.  
Renati rolled back and forth to quickly extinguish the fire on her cape, but lost her breathing mask in the process.

She looked for it, but even with her visor couldn't make heads or tails from the rubble. She tried standing up, but the remaining smoke caught her breath and she tumbled down again.  
"Spare mask!", a voice shouted, too far away.

Renati dragged herself in the direction of the voice, but couldn't see because the dusty underground had dirtied her mask in the fall. She had neither the strength nor the spirit to wipe it clean and simply succumbed onto the dust.

Suddenly the light in her eyes returned when she felt a gush of fresh air moving down her lungs. She looked up and saw two fingers wiping the dirt off her visor.  
"Nusen'taal", she coughed at Kujar who smiled at the little Anla'Shok, her head resting on his knee.  
"Can't hold your breath for 47 seconds?", he teased with a broad smile.

She coughed again, but then got up with his help.  
"I don't think they survived that", she groaned.  
"Perhaps, but let's leave that discovery to the professionals", he urged.

Naroon's men advanced to the source of the blow and discovered two scorched bodies and another man covered in rubble from the waist down. The dust moving from under his nose indicated a breath of life.

"Get me from under here… h…help", the man cried out at the figure in his blurred vision. He was conscious, but did not realise his body was beyond saving.  
The Shai Alyt walked over to the victim and kneeled down beside him. When the man realised there was a Minbari sitting next to him, he quivered in fear.

Fruitlessly he attempted to crawl away from the danger, but when realisation came he could no longer move, he broke down.  
Tears wailed down his cheeks as he knew his life had ended. There was no escape, it was death by the enemy's hands.

Naroon looked at him with neither compassion nor hatred. He simply assessed the situation. The creature had no means of saviour; there was no reason for prolonged suffering.  
He slid his hands under the man's head and respectfully placed them along the neckline. His hands snapped as quickly as he blinked, dimming the light of the Human's life.

Naroon got up and spoke not. In fact, none of the Warriors gave it much attention, if any. In their eyes, the Shai Alyt had taken his responsibility and had ended the unnecessary agony of a living being. He had released him quickly and honourably, a Warrior's death.

Renati however, saw it differently. Naroon had taken the life of a creature that was beyond defence and in belief of the end at the enemy's hands.

How can he continue, knowing the Human would die with a lie in his last thoughts? Would it not torment his soul?

Her Religious upbringing prevented her from understanding the Warriors' mindset, but this was not the place for debate.

"Let's find these children"

* * *

Having established the minimal threat level, Naroon split up the company into three groups: the two front-men, the two hind-men and of course Renati and himself. Each of them had a different part of the remaining ground to cover. Radio contact would be regularly repeated every 6 minutes.

Renati walked in silence next to the Moon Shield. She could not keep her thoughts from running back to that moment.  
She had no problem killing an enemy, none at all, but in the right set of mind.  
When you are both set on eradicating the other, you know what you signed on for and you know what will happen.

But what had happened back there, that was a whole different thing. Confusion had struck, but the Warrior had done nothing to ease the mind of the Human in his final moments.  
The dubious belief that 'All life is sacred' scurried through her mind.

"It disturbs you", Naroon broke the silence.  
"Of course, it was not necessary", she admitted.  
"Yes it was", Naroon wondered her strangely emotional reaction.  
"You killed a life form that was no longer a threat", she tried clarifying in her own way.  
"He never was a threat. I did not kill him because he was a threat"  
"He thought you did"  
"That's beside the point"  
"For his soul it isn't", she emphasised.  
"I have saved him from several hours of anguish. If anything, his soul will be grateful", Naroon explained.  
"No he won't. You ended his life in lie, you should have let him be"

Her outlet downright shocked Naroon, even agitated him.  
"You _never_ let a Warrior suffer in battle, Renati. We fight for you, the least you can do is give us a quick and painless exit when it comes", he stressed with an authorotive voice.  
"He was a civilian, not a Warrior", she argued back.  
"When in conflict, we are all Warrior, with or against our will"

This discussion was not one that could be solved in one night. The fundamental belief of the Warrior that prolonged suffering tortures the soul, while for the Religious Caste it is the truth that prevails was probably part of the reason the two Castes clashed so often.  
Even though they were the same, their beliefs could be so far apart at times.

Renati did not have the stomach for a sustained argument with the Shai Alyt – he was far too fanatic for that.  
A pity, for she would have enjoyed a friendly debate.

"What happens when we find the children?", Renati tried changing the subject.  
"We put them on a shuttle to the nearest inhabited planet where they can get proper care and guidance", he replied, confused at her question.

Renati followed him into the corridor he diverted to.  
"Children never belong in a battlefield, regardless of their species", Naroon clarified. His remark was met by a warm, commentless smile of Renati's.

Perhaps not as fanatic as she thought.

* * *

"Any luck Shai Alyt?", Moran's voice spoke through the armguard.  
"No, we-", but then the scanner caught his attention.

Several life forms were cluttered together in a room nearby. He walked over to the wall and spoke softly but in question: "Here"

"This isn't a wall", Renati commented when she slid her hands over the surface.  
She tapped it softly, hearing a different sound than when she tapped elsewhere. She tried forcing it, but did not carry enough power in her punch.  
The Warrior lifted his armguard, ready to fire.  
"No!", she protested, "Let's try the friendly entrance for a change. Do you think you can push through?"

Naroon studied the partition for a moment before launching a full burst blow with his first. He instantly retracted it as he felt the irritable touch of torn glass fibre in the palette.  
Regardless of the annoyance from the fibre cutting his skin, Naroon tore the rest of the fake wall out and cleared their path.

Renati stood amused, thinking how convenient it is to have a Warrior around. She and Varas would have tried with intricate calculations to come up with the least painful and most efficient way of breaching the door, but the Shaibar'nik saves her an incredible amount of time.

_I will have to suggest the methodology_, she grinned.

The removed wall revealed another typically Human pressure door. Renati flicked her fingers over the digital board. She figured the code would have a similar pattern to the previous one.  
That was the marvel of Human intelligence: because of their idleness, they preferred pass codes for their ease of remembrance rather than their efficiency.

As security systems are usually maintained by a single person, the digit codes in a compound seem to always have a pattern. Once you figure out the first two, deciphering the rest of them is like shooting elephants from the sky.

While Renati tapped in another combination, the voice next to her confirmed: "Got it!"  
A small blast melted the wiring and unlocked the door, however not after sounding the irritable _bloop_ Human machines give when one enters the wrong code.

Vexed, the Anla'Shok looked at the Warrior who shrugged his shoulders: "Human technology: it releases everything if you fry the wiring"  
"My way is stealthier and repeatable", she argued her profession.  
"But mine's quicker and thus more efficient", he teased her and went in first.

"Marcus? Is that you?", a female voice cried out in question.  
The Warrior identified 14 children, two young women and another older – weaker by the looks of it – female.  
"Is that all that is left of you?", Renati asked baffled from behind the Warrior.  
"What do you mean left? Where's Marcus?", one of the two younger women asked. She was shaken, but not frightened by the Minbari appearance of her hopeful saviours.  
How very characterising for a school teacher, not to make prejudice.

"I don't know", Renati answered prematurely.  
"Is Marcus bald?", Naroon had an answer if she would reply affirmatively.  
"N-No, Marcus has lots of hair", she replied, somewhat jumbled by the queer question.  
"Then we don't know", Renati glared at the Warrior for his unintended insensitivity.

"Troops, regroup. We have located the survivors, all sixteen of them", Naroon ordered his troops.  
"Make that seventeen", he corrected when a puddle of clothes moved.

"Do you know what happened?", Renati tried with the young female.  
"We were attacked", she replied.  
"By whom?"  
"I don't know.. they never told us. They just came in and fired…", the woman was in disarray now, clenching on to a flock of hair from one of the children clamping on to her leg.

"What are you doing here anyway?", the other one asked in suspicion. "Minbari, causing destruction and disarray wherever you go"  
She was less receptive than the other one.

Again Naroon's patience was tested, but he decided not to prolong his own torture.  
"A tale for another time. Are you coming or do you want to stay here and die?", he confronted her.  
"Come with us or stay, I don't care either way", he added and then walked away to wait outside.

It was not as if the Humans had any other choice, but Renati decided to at least try and ease their peace of mind. Not that she cared, but perhaps more than Naroon did anyway.

"Stay in close formation and don't touch anything. Round up the children and keep them quiet", she tried with a friendly tone of voice. The polite smile, she withheld. It would probably just scare them anyhow.

She turned to the oldest of the children, around fourteen in human years she gestimated and ordered her: "You! Take care of your elder"  
The child helped the grandmother on her feet and followed the others as told.

* * *

The four Warriors took over the Human burden from their commander and escorted them to the transport.

The road back to the ship was longer and scruffier than they remembered. The tunnels through which they ventured appeared even more unstable than before.  
"Looks like that blast did more damage than we thought", Moran worried.  
"Don't worry, we'll be fine. Just keep moving", Kujar encouraged his friend in their native language.  
He could not tell whether or not the Humans understood what he was saying, they always seemed agitated when hearing Vik.

As they continued on, one of the children spoke up.  
"Teacher, do you feel that?"

The child was right! The ground was shaking!

"Move!", Moran shouted in common from the back of the line. Kujar did not question his colleague's motive and lead the group closer to the light. The people followed in a surprisingly orderly but frightened fashion, trusting the Minbari by their word.

The rumbling got heavier and more threatening. This aftershock from the attack may even turn into an actual quake.  
"Keep moving!", Moran shouted to the crowd in front of him when torn pieces of rock started dropping all around them.

The planet was angry with the damage done. In an attempt to catch the possible perpetrators of pain, the ground shook heavier and ripped a rift in the path between the group and the last two – Moran and Lisa, the fourteen year old girl.

The rift in front of them was growing by the second, there was not much time. It was too big for Lisa to jump, nor could Moran jump along with her – her weight would pull him down.

The teacher stopped and wailed when she noticed the separation of the two.  
"Lisa!"

Her scream was one that went through marrow and bone. The child was trapped! What could she do?

"Don't stand there screaming female, come closer", Moran commanded the teacher – trying hard to calm the panic-struck child down. She had dropped to her knees and was holding on to his trousers, refusing to move.  
"Closer?", the teacher, Mary, wondered.  
"I will throw her, you will catch her"  
"Throw? Catch?"  
"There is no time Human!", Moran said and in a whim tore the child lose from his garment.  
"Grab on!", he yelled and propelled her with calculated might over the crevasse.

Lisa held her breath but instinct forbade her to close her eyes. Reflexively her hands grabbed on to Mary's shoulders, but the woman had not the strength to lift the girl.  
The dirty shirt tore under the weight of the teenager, who slipped out of reach of the woman.  
Just as she was about to fall to her doom, Lisa grabbed onto a sharp piece of rock, but cut the inside of her hand.

"Help me!", she cried, tears clearing up the dust from her young face.  
Just as Moran was about to leap from the other side, the earth shook again, propelling more rocks at the group.  
Several of them hit Moran on the head, but his sturdy bone kept him from passing out.  
"Grab her! In Valen's name grab onto her!", he cried, but then a large boulder hit him on the shoulder and sent him to the ground.  
The impact was painful, but only the beginning.

As he hit the floor, another three boulders, one of them spike shaped, came flying down and impaled his leg.  
Moran grinded his teeth and muffled away a cry, but the tears in his eyes could not deny the pain.

Kujar had left salvation of the group to Vreni and returned to where they got separated from Moran and the child. When he approached Mary, he saw the boulders on the other side of the fissure crushing his friend.

"Moran!"  
"Lisa!"  
"Mary!"

Desperate cries filled the cave with confusion. Who to save first? The Human child hanging by a thread or his friend about to be covered with more rock?

Kujar did not think about his decision and just let his body carry him where he wanted to go. He reached the edge of the rift where the teacher was desperately trying to grab the girl, but could not reach.  
Kujar's arms stretched longer than hers and could just grab on to her sleeve. When he tried lifting her however, he heard the fabric tear, so quickly flicked his hand and grabbed onto Lisa's.

In doing so, he unwillingly squeezed open the wound the girl had from falling and grabbing onto the rock. Blood gushed over both hands accompanied by a bone-chilling scream.  
The blood crept between finger and finger, covering skin and skin until Kujar felt his grasp fail.  
"Grab my tunic!", he gasped as he felt her slip away.

His other hand made a sway for the girl's shoulder, but to no avail. She had already started falling and did so until Kujar could see her no more. She disappeared down into the darkness where no one would see her again.

Mary did not say a word. She even stopped crying in disbelief. Her eyes carried despair, even hatred, as it was _his_ fault she fell. Lisa was no more, because of this Minbari.  
"How could you!', she yelled and launched herself at him.

Kujar was already concerned with other matters and threw her back as quickly as she approached.  
"Go up the path and join the others", he commanded her. He didn't even look back to check if she obeyed; but took a run-up to cross the fissure. The loss of the child was tragic, but there was another soul in need of help. Kujar would not lose two in one day.

"It's my leg", Moran moaned to his friend. He held the med pack that would stop the wound from bleeding in his hands, but could not reach.  
"Let me", Kujar took over.  
The rock had pierced his calf through and through. It would take time to heal – that is if they got out of here.  
"Can you stand?"

Moran pushed his weight on his other leg and tried getting up, but his shoulder stung him back to the dusty surface.  
That took jumping out of the equation.

"We will have to go back the other way and hope they can pick us up there", Kujar concluded.  
"Can you carry me that far?"  
"Will you last that long?", Kujar countered the playful insult of his friend with one of his own.

He got down on his knees and allowed Moran to climb onto his back in the least painful position before running away from the collapsing structure as fast as he could, back to where they found the children.

* * *

Renati and Naroon had continued to follow the now stronger signal of her missing friend, until reaching another blockade.

"The signal is on the other side of the blockade… again", Renati spoke in disappointment. She could not bear returning empty-handed. They had to find a way to get William out of here.

"The rubble has not settled yet", Naroon noted, "We can clear up a small path if you're up for some crawling"  
Renati nodded and helped him move some of the cluttered parts, while avoiding the exposed and sizzling electric cables.

"I'll go first this time", she smiled. She did not leave room for protest and squeezed through.  
As her shoulders emerged on the other side she froze. The sound of the charging of a PPG weapon encouraged her to signal the Shai Alyt of the danger.  
"Minbari?", a surprised voice spoke awfully close.  
"Human", she replied and looked up at a man with a thick mop of black hair. His face was stern and dirty, with two cleaner lines running down each cheek.

"What are you Minbari doing here? Were you the ones who you attacked?", he came into realisation.  
"Do I look like I am assaulting the station?"  
"Is that a trick question?", he asked the confused Minbari, but then noticed her Anla'Shok pin.

"Oh, you're one of them", he noted out loud.  
The dark haired man sheathed his weapon and extended his hand. Renati grabbed a hold of it with caution and was pulled through fully.

As she popped out of the hole, another Minbari shot through, landed on his arms and jumped back up to his feet. The Warrior's hold out laser was pointed precisely at the Human's head, but he was without care.  
"Please, humour me", he taunted the Warrior listlessly. Naroon frowned as well as he could but held his fire.

"Go ahead, release me from my misery. This simply can't get any worse", he complained.

Naroon lowered his weapon when the Human walked away to a body lying on the side. Renati gave the Shai Alyt an acknowledging look and kneeled next to the body.

"Don't touch him", Marcus protested.  
"I am merely retrieving what is ours", she said and removed his Denn'Bok and other Minbari technology on him, but could not find his pin.  
"Yours?"  
"William was one of us, Anla'Shok. What is he to you?", she asked, rather cold.  
"He's my brother", he cried and dropped to his knees. His fingers clenched onto the lifeless hand of his sibling, stroking them repeatedly as if expecting a reaction any time now.

The man wailed like a child crying for a lost toy. Despair and hopelessness filled his eyes, he even ignored the Minbari presence briefly.

Then he spoke up again: "He warned me, but I didn't listen"  
"What did he say? Tell me Human!", Renati stressed.  
"He talked about this enemy... these Shadows. He said they were a powerful enemy from the past that were returning to conquer the universe.

I didn't believe him of course, I thought it was part of the belief this Ranger cult was feeding him. Instead of going off and getting to safety himself, he stayed – trying to convince the others to leave", Marcus complained in tears.

"Did you see the attack?", Renati was focused more on the facts of this serious matter.  
"Of course I did"  
"Describe it to us"  
"There were purple lights. They sliced through the station like a knife cutting through butter. Immediately after that they left and I descended to the planet.  
When I came down, everything here was destroyed. I spent hours going through the rubble, searching for survivors"  
"How come you survived?", Renati wondered.  
"Because life is cruel!", he snapped at the insensitive Minbari.

This mystery did not help the broken Human's guilt. It ran so deeply in him that if guilt had the colour purple, his veins would light up as such.

"There was another quake, something must have hit me because it all went dark. After that I woke up with the children, but I couldn't stay there. I… I had to find him…. But he was already beyond salvation", Marcus cried out.

"And what gives you the right to pillage his body!?", rage took over him when he saw Renati put away some more items she found on him.  
"I am taking back what is ours to pass it on to the next. It is our way", she clarified, not worried about the Human's reaction.  
"Your brother knew this, being Anla'Shok it is his way too"

Marcus had trouble accepting this other way of life. Humans need possessions of their loved ones in order to be able to part properly, but she was taking away more than half of what was dear to William.  
How could he oppose?

At least he had one thing she did not. He flicked the Ranger pin he had taken off William's uniform earlier in his hands and thought about the last moments he shared with his brother.

_Promise me you'll go after them… Fight them, like I have. Do not let the universe suffer_

That was William's last request. The last thoughts to enter his mind, the last words to leave his mouth.  
Marcus could not ignore that request, he would not escape that fate. But how?

Renati noticed the distress in the Human's mind.  
"Your brother's death was not in vain, at least he has helped us on our cause", she tried a petty attempt at comfort.  
"And what cause is that?", he spat without care.  
"The cause of not letting tragedies like these from happing to others; of protecting the universe from the enemy", she explained.  
"Well you didn't do a very good job now did you?"

Renati was agitated by his insult. With a breath of revenge, she replied: "If you think you can do better than him, then try it yourself. Really, humour me and try!

You know, I actually regret losing him, because he was one of the _few_ new recruits who actually _was_ efficient at what he did.

Why don't you try, _Human_. Try and beat your brother in what he was best at.  
Your first mission will be getting into Minbari space without being killed by the likes of him", she pointed at the Warrior standing beside her.  
"And then, if you make it through the Anla'Shok training alive, then the true trial begins.

Then, we'll have another talk and see if you're up to it.

Your grief is nothing compared to what is to follow if we do not act.  
Do not underestimate the path of the Anla'Shok, Human, and do _not_ insult it. Speak no more words to rest the soul of your brother", she rampaged over Marcus' fragile state of mind.  
Marcus did not reply to her attack and left her boiling.

Suddenly, the effect of moving ground cut the conversation.  
"What by Shintavi-?"

"Shai Alyt!", Naroon's armguard blazed, "There has been a change of plans. Warrior down! I am on my way to your location. Can the shuttle pick us up on the other side of the compound?"  
"If Renati can find us a good place to board"

The Anla'Shok nodded and left with her commander, ignoring the Human in pain.

* * *

Hatred fuelled Mary's blood when she saw the Minbari named Kujar board the shuttle. The vessel had travelled around the compound and thus had risked longer exposure to danger _just to pick him up_.  
Him and three others, but that was beside the point.

A lot had died from this attack. Four hundred souls on the space station and at least a thousand in the planetary compound. The attack from the invisible enemy had turned into a massacre.  
But of all the bloodshed, the loss of _her_ Lisa struck her most. A lost that was his fault.

This man had no right to be saved, he should be punished! But who could she look to for justice? Who would help her?

His commander.  
Surely, he couldn't be the highest of rank, there must be at least one higher. Perhaps on the mother ship – she hoped.

She saw the soldier who had thrown Lisa over the ridge was heavily wounded. He had even lost consciousness. For him, she could bring up compassion, but not for the other. He should not have let her go.

One of the Minbari in the ship caught her eye. He went from the cockpit back to the carrier area, telling some what to do and checking up on others. He even tended to the facial wound of one of his – female? – soldiers, who flinched when the disinfectant covered the cut.  
"Better?", he asked, but before the Minbari could reply, Mary intervened.

"Sir, I beg of you. That one requires punishment", she started off rather clumsy.  
"Punishment?", the Warrior wondered and turned around.

His appearance was impressive as well as intimidating. His chest was at least twice as wide as hers and although they shared the same height, she did not feel as confident before him as she did before other – usually smaller – men.

Mary had the rare blessing of long legs, but at this moment they felt like gawky stilts rather than sturdy support.  
Nevertheless, she would continue her lamentation, for how else would little Lisa receive justice?

"Yes, punishment! Punishment for not saving the life of another, for letting her slip, for killing her!", she raged.  
The anger flew out of her onto the Shai Alyt, but bounced back. The blunt pain of an open hand striking her cheek shook her back into reality.

"Never insult one of my Warriors. He did everything he could to save the one you lost", Naroon spoke agitated.  
"How can you know? You weren't even there!", she bellowed while rubbing her soar skin.

His hand raised again, but he decided not to. This feeble creature probably couldn't take any more.  
"Never doubt the ability of a Warrior. I will overlook your insolence because of your emotional instability", he continued but the woman tried to interrupt again.  
"But he-"

"Hold your tongue or by Valen you will lose it", Renati sneered as she crossed in between the two. There was nothing to be gained from this discussion, better to end it now.  
"We saved your life, show some respect"

The woman lowered her eyes and tried to control herself. Another rush of grief overcame her when she thought of what was to become of them. Would they live under the Minbari now? Would they be held captive? For how long?

"We will transfer you to a place that is better for you, and the children", Renati picked in on the woman's surface thoughts. She made her focus on her responsibility instead of herself and thereby finally calmed her down.

Naroon just looked.

* * *

**Next chapter:** By the bidding of the Religious Caste

Coming soon so keep checking. Thank you for reading!


	28. C28: By the bidding ot Religious Caste

**By the bidding of the Religious Caste**

After clearing up the Arisia mess, the Tiris continued its trajectory. Naroon had not seen Renati in a couple of days. She was really upset about the loss of the Human Anla'Shok, but more structurally than emotionally.  
He had not disturbed her, she needed time.

For the first time in a while, Renati left her quarters, her nose deepened in a scroll. She walked along the hallway to the elevator platform until she bumped into something – again.  
"Making a habit out of that", Naroon smiled down at her. "At least you didn't fall over this time"  
"I have grown more sturdy, spending so much time on a Warrior ship", she replied breezily.  
"How is Moran?"  
"His spirit has recovered, but his body will not follow. It is not pleasant in sick bay right now", the Shai Alyt smiled .  
"Good", Renati smiled, imagining the frustration of the hela'mers at the wounded Warrior's endless complaints. Nothing worse than an immobile soldier...

Her state of mind appeared better, more light-hearted. It soothed him to see her without that worried frown she carried so often lately. Nevertheless, he could tell something was bothering her.

"Are you alright?"  
"If life would be simpler, I would be", she sighed at the weight of the battle gone by.  
"If it were simpler it wouldn't be half that interesting", he tried a classic to cheer her up. "What's bothering you?"  
"The universe", she sighed loudly.

Surely not everything could be that grim?

"I should not bother you with my concerns, Shai Alyt", she replied respectfully.  
"You are part of my crew, I listen to everyone who has something to say. Be he Worker, Warrior or Anla'Shok", he deliberately did not say Religious Caste to see her reaction.  
"Alright", she ignored –or did not notice, he couldn't tell – his subtle hint.  
"But over some tea, it's less serious that way", she added.  
"As you wish"

The twosome walked to the common room that was empty. Most Warriors were on shift or halfway through off-duty. Naroon had a different schedule; it varied constantly depending on where he was needed, what the type of mission it was and when Fara could swap with him.

They sat in one of the comfortable dark grey sofas, with a low transparent crystal table in front of them holding the tea. Renati always enjoyed the way the tea water in the half-transparent cups curled into rays of light in the crystal table. It made something trivial feel much more important.

"I fear this is the beginning of a new Great War", she said as Naroon took a sip.  
"And I am afraid that when Anla'Shok Na will confront the Satai of this, they will ignore his words, as they always do"  
"But now you have proof", Naroon noted.  
"I have nothing", she replied demoralised, "I have a destroyed Human station and a dead Anla'Shok"  
"You have one ship that believes you", Naroon attempted for her mood to brighten again.  
"Can that ship convince the Satai?", she asked rhetorically.

To her surprise Naroon replied – considering the matter. His answer carried neither sarcasm nor mockery, it came honestly.

"I did not know you have that much influence, Shai Alyt", she replied, taunting him somewhat.  
"There is a lot about me you do not know, yet", he replied to her tease.

Renati looked at the Warrior with brightness in her eyes. Brightness that had been gone since they had descended to Arisia. The darkness in her mind finally made way for the light again, perhaps she could have just a moment of rest.

Naroon involuntarily scratched his wrists, distracting her from her thoughts. He was not carrying his arm guards and had rolled up sleeves, revealing some irritation around his wrists.  
"What is it?", she wondered and cupped his wrist in her hands.  
"It itches", he complained.

"Oh that's right you punched through the fibre… I was going to say something about that, but you were so enthusiastic about tearing apart the door. I actually enjoyed it", she joked.

Naroon's regard did not appear as amused as she was.  
"You've just got an allergic reaction to the fibre, I'm sure the hela'mer can fix that", she added.  
"I've always known I'm allergic to anything Human", he added grimly, but in humour.  
"It's surprising it's only manifesting now", he smiled  
"At least you've got proof", she giggled them into laughter.

"Thank you", she said after a brief moment of pleasant silence.  
"For what?"  
"For believing me and coming down to the planet. And of course for protecting me with as many Warriors as you did. I think I would have died by the first Gok assault", she jested.  
"Those poisonous claws would have torn you asunder!", he added ironically.

"No, I believe you would have been alright by yourself", he spoke again.  
"I doubt it. That grenade would have been the end of it. Did you get burned?", she asked.  
"Not much, the suit took most of the damage , thankfully", he replied.

Naroon turned his head when he reached to refill both their cups, revealing the scorch marks on the tips of his bone crest.  
Parts of the carefully carved masterpiece had been burned off by the heat, others were a dark black where grey suited him better.

"I could help you with that", she said with guilt. Her fingers stroke across the ridges where he notably had tried to carve it away, but to no avail.  
"I thought Akel carves yours", he noted.  
"She does, but that doesn't mean I don't do hers", she replied, but then quickly added: "Actually I don't, but I've seen her do it a million times, I'm sure I could-"  
The proud warrior was quick to grab her hand with his and spoke:  
"In time you just may, but for now let's just stick analyzing allergic reactions"

"Na-Shai Alyt", Fara's lip lowered when she approached the duo, "There is a call for you from Master Kadroni of the Telepath Order. He appears miffed it was not you who answered"  
"I'll be there immediately"

Duty for the Religious Caste calls.

* * *

"Grand Master Kadroni of the Telepath Order, to what do we owe the honour?", Naroon spoke respectfully.  
The old man on the hologram looked aged, but not weary. He looked wise, but not threatening. Cunning, but not hostile.  
His beige robe knotted to perfection on the left shoulder made him appear wider than he actually was, which dramatised the appearance.

"Shai Alyt Naroon of the Tiris, the Telepath Order has a request to make", he spoke with a based, slightly hoarse voice. The hesitation came not from old age, but from lack of speech. It had been some time since the Grand Master's last need of his vocal cords.

"Please ask", the Shai Alyt replied cautiously. It was never a good idea to agree to anything a Religious Caste is about to ask you beforehand, not even to be polite.

"In three days there will be a gathering of telepaths on Tavalan. The most prominent and revered minds will be attending. Lectures will be held, master minds will be paid heed to , some Anla'Shok will share information and of course, many high-standing members of the Religious Caste will present", the Master Telepath explained.

All very interesting, but what did it have to do with him?

"I heard you are the best at keeping others safe. It is therefore we request you take the honour of guarding us", the Religious Caste phrased his request without a question.  
"Guarding you from what, Grand Master?", the Warrior wondered.

Tavalan was just off the centre of Minbari space, near Eshar – which is the home base of the Fire Wings – and Ralafa. There was no risk of border skirmishes getting out of hand there.  
What could they possibly need protection for?

"The evils of the universe of course!", the Grand Master scoffed. He noticed the Warrior's reluctance, though Naroon's face showed none.

Guarding a bunch of Religious Castes from the evils of the universe in the middle of Minbari space….  
Great.

Naroon's inner self sighed at the thought of the political consequences his refusal would have. Not that he did not want to offer protection, he would be delighted to do so if it were an off-world mission with real danger. But this was simply ridiculous.

Nevertheless, these Telepaths believe the universe revolves around them and are paranoid at best. They probably actually believe they could be in danger for gathering together so massively.

Given, they would make a good target for anyone with access to the system, but Minbari do not kill Minbari.

Even if there was some family, guild or clan out there with a grudge against the Telepaths – highly unlikely given their reverence in Minbari society – Naroon found it a stretch anyone would actually move to physical aggression.

"The Shaibar'nik would be delighted to keep you safe from harm on this endeavour", the Moon Shield replied diplomatically, but added his concern, "May I ask Grand Master, who informed you of the Tiris' specific qualities?"

"We asked protection from the Fire Wings first, as they are so prominent in space flight, but the young Hiai'sa we asked referred us to you.  
She informed us that the Shaibar'nik are far better at defending than they were and that 'Shai Alyt Naroon of the Tiris' would be the best Warrior for this type of endeavour", the Grand Master replied.  
"Then I shall have to thank the Hiai'sa in question for this opportunity", he replied, grinding his teeth.

"Of course", the telepath replied, happily believing he contributed to something positive, "It was Hiai'sa Zha who forwarded us, but the name of her ship eludes me"  
"Thank you Grand Master", Naroon replied, moving forward.  
"Yes, of course", the master said somewhat confused, "I will send your ship the exact data of presence so you can work out a full battle plan for your defences. We have faith in your abilities to keep our minds clear of worries and focused on the gathering"  
"Of course", Naroon replied to the insistence.  
"Until then"

The Grand Master did not leave time for a reply. Clearly the conversation had already taken longer than was to his liking.  
Telepaths…

If he had to pick something to put at the top of his 'things I hate' list, it had to be social gatherings of Religious Castes – especially telepaths. They made him _uncomfortable_, put lightly.  
The last couple of years, Naroon had always been able to pass the buck on such missions to others – for what other reason is one Shai Alyt than to pass on one's hateful duties? – but this time he couldn't wirm his way out of it. All because of her.

Zha.  
Hiai'sa (1)Zha of the Ahaelden.

She sure is one to hold a grudge.  
This feisty Fire Wing lost the Eshar Run fifty-three years ago. The run is a yearly event held for all academy attending Warrior Castes. The academies select the best of their students per year to represent them.  
The object of the run is to beat the opponent in a race along the planet Eshar and its near space in a Nial fighter.

Of course, for an Ahaelden to lose to anything but their own clan in the field of flight is a loss of face, no matter how skilled the opponent. But at that age, not so great as to pay it back half a century later.  
In a way it amused Naroon that he had struck a nerve delicate enough for it to come and haunt him.

The Shaibar'nik had raked in a well-deserved victory that day, a turn-around in the history of the Clan.  
Naroon remembered how the Moon Shields were suffering from the inspiration-less leadership of their Hat. Minsa'Hat Darsa was getting tired beyond her years, but no one dared to step up.

There had been a visible decrease of active Warriors in the last three years of Darsa's reign. There was even some opposition at the way the younger generation was being neglected, but to no avail.  
The younger generation was no longer of any importance to Minsa'Hat Darsa. She left them to their own devices, offering them no support in their hour of need.

The youngsters felt obsolete. It was always about the illustrious souls, opportunities for the young Warrior Caste were absent. And on the rare occasion there was one, the effort was not appreciated.  
This left the youngsters motivation-less and carrying less feist.

Minsa'Hat Darsa did not heed the call of her people, too tired to be concerned with the voices of the young. The council of elders was at their wits' end, but changing the leadership forcibly was not an option.

Darsa would never give up leading the Shaibar'nik, unless it was clear there was no further use for her knowledge.  
The Clan was stagnating because of her conservative view. She rejected Shaibar'nik sky flight, ground action, offensive – anything diverting from the 'original' duties of the Moon Shields or out of the box.

Though Naroon knew of the disarray of his clan, that was not the motivation for the young one's thrive to win the Eshar Run.  
It was pure ambition.

Naroon was a good pilot, exceptionally good in fact. He had his defaults piloting larger vessels, but in Nial fighter flight he stood unbeaten in the academy.  
Together with Fara, they formed the most deadly space duo the Shaibar'nik had seen in a while.

Some of their Sechs claimed the souls of Kholinn and Velora, two infamous Minbari fighter pilots, had found rebirth in them.  
They were the logical choice for selection by the Solta Gan Keishan Academy to join the run.

Fara was taken out in the quarter finals by Fakir, an Ahaelden of her age – the contest was traditionally overrun by Fire Wings – who beat her with a two second lead.

Come to think of it, Fara probably never let go of that grudge neither. Unfortunately there would be no chance to settle the score for her as Fakir died in one of the first assaults on the Earthers.

In any case, Naroon miraculously beat his way through to the finals and faced Zha. It was the first non-Ahaelden finale in fourteen years. All of Minbar watched what the young opponents would to to outsmart each other.

The course was no easier than other years: the two ships were required to fly to from Eshar to the nearby moon and back, within seven minutes.  
For this, they need to cross through a nebula, around an asteroid field and ensure not to get hit by the moon's minimal defence grid.  
They also each have one shot, which renders the other's ship disabled for 12 seconds.

"Show them Shields can fly!", Nerdir, Naroon's younger sibling, had encouraged his brother with these words before the final round.

The young and confident Warrior had gotten in the Nial fighter, settled on victory. Naroon was not one to brag, compared to other Warriors he could actually be seen as shy, but he could _really_ fly.  
Of that he was certain, for that he didn't back down.  
"May you bring honour to your master", the two students greeted each other before speeding off.

Zha had been the toughest opponent Naroon had ever faced in battle. Her movement was not only perfectly fluent and on the fastest track, but she kept spinning, making her impossible to target.  
Shooting her cripple was not an option. If he was going to win this, he would have to outrun her.

But the young Fire Wing had more up her sleeve then she let on. She kept the Shaibar'nik close on her tail until suddenly she looped up and appeared behind him. Naroon had already initiated evasive action, but Zha simply was too quick.

She fired the single stunning round she had, but not without locking on automatically first. Her opponent was very agile, she would not risk him dodging the shot.

The plasma jolt hit bull's eye. Naroon's engines were immediately taken offline, rendering him motionless.  
Convinced of a solid victory, Zha continued onwards to complete the track.

When Naroon's engines jumped back online, he sped off like a hawk lunging at his prey, but realised he was hopelessly behind. She had a 14 second advance on him.

Fourteen seconds. How was he going to counter that?

As his Nial fighter came around the asteroid field, he saw Zha's ship gaining ground on the other side. If only he could fly straight ahead, he would still have a chance at beating her.

_Then why don't I? _

Leaving behind common sense, Naroon thrust his Nial fighter 90 degrees to the left and sped through the asteroid field.  
In the crowd Fara held her breath at her hero's brave but reckless move. It was after all just a race. Practice, not real, but the asteroid field couldn't tell the difference.  
Was the honour worth the risk?

At that moment, for that Warrior: it was.  
Naroon gave it his all. He reacted like he would in battle. He knew the danger was real and would not allow for error, thus pushed himself further. Concentration almost on a meditational level got him through the asteroid field alive.

Alive, but not in one piece. One of the smaller stones had hit the side of the fighter, but he had been lucky enough to dodge most of the impact.

Zha cried out a shriek of disbelief when a royal blue Nial fighter cut off her fire wing and took the lead. Baffled, she set in persuit, but came 0.75 seconds too late in the end.

No one had thought the Shaibar'nik would undertake such a risk. Bravery for some, foolishness for others. But it didn't matter.

The young Warrior had proven to his Clan that there was still zest in the young ones and that they had a different way of living than the current Clan policy, which not even all the elderly followed.

So without realising it, Naroon had unchained a series of events that lead to more young Shaibar'nik distinctions, which did not go unnoticed this time.  
Tyraan, not an elder but a renown member of the Shaibar'nik, stepped forward in the Clan's time of need and convinced Minsa'Hat Darsa a new time had come for the Moon Shields.

It was painful for the proud Warrior to admit defeat, so she left in solace, never to be seen again. She is assumed deceased of old age by now, but nevertheless, the memory lingers.

"Besides, what is it with Religious Castes and bossing us around lately?", Naroon caught the middle of a conversation Fara was having with Suveni when the memories left his mind.  
"As if it wasn't bad enough that Anla'Shok is treating us like the royal taxi of the universe, now the Grand Master Telepath needs to have a snatch at us?", she complained further.  
"You're just jealous because the Anla'Shok got some action on Arisia and you didn't", the old man challenged his superior.

Even though Suveni ranked only Kor, he could afford speaking up to Fara when she deserved it. He had been around even in the time of the previous command, his wisdom being of good value to all of them.

One of the remarkable things the crew found about Suveni was that he always knew something was going to happen before it did. Be it incoming calls, encounters, you name it he knows it.  
True, he did appear to have a sixth sense in foresight, but in the communications department he had some help.

The very first commander of the Tiris didn't like to be bothered with unnecessary calls, so left that judgement to his communications officer.  
Therefore the officer in question would analyse the data first and decide whether it was worth getting the commander to the bridge or whether he could handle it himself.

This was done through a small diversion in the comm. system. The officer receives the signature of the message before the rest of the ship does. That function was never removed, so that gives Suveni a head start on all incoming calls.

Fara gazed angrily at the old Warrior and snapped: "If I had wanted to come along, I would have"  
Naroon turned the other way with a broad smile, knowing it was a half-truth.  
"And you, stop smiling!", she barked at him.  
"How do you know?", he blurted.  
"I didn't", she crunched her teeth, sinking the Shai Alyt through the deck.

Suveni enjoyed the scene of the traditional bickering of _his_ two commanders. They were better than a surprise comedy act from Master Zaca!  
And as usual, Fara did not let go now that she had Naroon on his knees.

"What bothers me is that not only does she boss us around to fly her for half-baked looking-for-dead-human missions, but she also appears to think we will fly back to Minbar for her to report on the dead Human!  
What makes her so privileged she can't use the comm. link like the rest of us? Did she even give a reason for her persistence of delivering the message in person?", the Alyt didn't spare him, but Naroon did not lose his cool. Instead, he confidently faced her and looked down into her eyes.

"Fara, do I ask you for a reason if you ask me to do something?"  
"Ten out of eleven times, yes you do! And ten out of eleven you get an answer", Fara tried cornering him.  
"Then trust I got an answer"

The Shai Alyt's answer crippled Suveni into laughter again, but it was not well-received by the arguing couple.  
"What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you off-duty?", Fara snapped again.  
"Yes, but I have this feeling", he contemplated.

Prwing!

'Incoming message', a crystal computer voice informed the crew.

"Haha!"

* * *

Regardless of the entertaining intermezzo on the bridge, Naroon remained troubled with his unexpected mission. This meant no swift return to Minbar, to which he was secretly looking forward.

Returning Renati to Minbar was the perfect excuse for making a stop on Solta Gan, his home planet. It would have been the welcome relief for him and his crew, especially Fara who was well beyond the level of enjoyable.

The tension of the recent events – the frequent travel of Anla'Shok aboard the ship, a new recruit from a different Clan, the inspection gone wrong and of course the Arisia massacre – was taking its toll on them.  
There had not yet been a definitive answer on whether the ship passed the check-up or not. An answer would await them on Minbar, their last stop before Solta Gan. The answer that could take away all doubt.

Unfortunately it was not to be.  
Instead, he had to baby-sit a pack of telepaths.

_Telepaths_

Just the tought of hundreds of them in a confined space made his bone crest shiver. It was not that he didn't respect their strength, but he feared what they could do with it. It must be tough knowing the secrets of so many, but maintaining purity.

But now, for the task of keeping them safe.

Naroon recalled a map of the convention centre they were gathering in on a projection in on of the smaller meeting rooms. It was perfect for a meeting with the heads of the crew, six or seven heads – no more – but Naroon often used it to contemplate by himself first before suggesting his plan of action.  
The facilities were better than in his own quarters and it gave him a false sense of confidence, sort of preparing the home ground. Probably the result of some rooted-in male territorial trait.

When he had about finished the initial setup of everything on and around the planet, his Alyt entered with a cup of tea. The look on her face told Naroon she had calmed down and was visiting him as a friend, not a foe.

She smiled when she saw his frown relax at the sensation of the tea's odor climbing up his nostrils, followed by the soft taste of the heavenly liquid itself.  
What would he do without her?

She walked around the small projection and looked at a summary of what he had already puzzled together.  
"I see they left us alone for this", she commented.  
Naroon gave a gruntful reply in agreement, leaving Fara the freedom of her own conclusion as to why.  
"So we have to protect a delegate of telepaths, but we're not getting any backup?", she wondered.  
"Don't get me wrong, I realise the danger is purely theoretical, but it would damage our reputation if we are not equipped to the fullest on this"

Again the Shai Alyt gave nothing more than a rancorous noise in agreement. He knew very well they were understaffed for this endeavour.  
After the Arisia incident, Naroon had commanded one of his Tigara class support vessels to accompany the shuttle with the Human survivors – just to be sure. This cut out 34 men of his crew, men he could really use for this blasted mission.

Thirty four minus another. Moran would not be fit in time.

"Can I see the detailed schematics?", Fara requested.  
"Sure", his first real reply came. She hovered over the crystals and brought up the entire display enlarged.  
"As you can see, I have positioned the available crew as efficiently as I can. I put you in charge of the orbital fleet, figured that would suit you best", he explained. He was due to select a job in her favour.  
"The fleet is fine, but the ground defence is lacking Naroon", she commented.  
"I know, but I have no choice. The areas that are empty and thus vulnerable will be covered by an overlap in patrol of the nearest Warriors. There will be no stationary posts", he continued.

"Overlap is dangerous Naroon, you know that as well as I do. The time span needed for getting from one checkpoint to the next could make the difference. I'm sure the telepaths will figure that out as well", she disapproved  
"I realise that, but what other option do we have?", Naroon replied disappointed.

Fara paced around the battle plan with eagerness to tear it apart and put it back together.  
She wasn't happy with the plan. There were too many variables, too many possible openings. There had to be another way.

Then it hit her.  
"The objective here is not to protect them as good as we can, because nothing will happen – you _know_ nothing will – but to look good while doing it. Now what would look very good on a Shai Alyt's record?", she hinted him.

Naroon just looked puzzled. He had already drained all resources available to him, what else could he possibly do?

"Come on Naroon, you must see through this little political game the Religious Caste is playing with you?", she teased, "What defines a good leader, Naroon?"  
"I'm sure you're going to inform me what that is", he repelled.  
"He can rally anyone to follow his cause"  
"Ask the Telepaths to take care of themselves up to a certain level?", he replied with a winceful face.

"You can't ask the guests to protect themselves, that's ridiculous", Fara rejected the suggestion.  
"They're Minbari"  
"They're Telepaths, you know how they get"  
"That only leaves the Anla – the Anla'Shok! How many are there?", he wondered, seeing the good of Fara's radical idea.  
A Warrior taking command of a group of Anla'Shok, Lennon would never let us hear the end of it.  
"Twelve, but you must consider they will be lecturing"  
"Not at the same time", Naroon replied as he went over the schedule.

He liked the turn this endeavour was taking. If he could get the Warrior Caste and the Anla'Shok to work together on something, the Telepaths would be impressed and the political power play would be a success.

It _will_ be noted and they _will_ look good.

"Twelve extra troops, that puts things into perspective", the Shai Alyt outed with a satisfied grin over the schematics.  
"Thirteen", Fara commented and looked into the eyes of the commander looking up.  
"Indeed", Naroon said, surprised at himself for forgetting about Renati.  
"She can mediate between our crew and the Anla'Shok. That should make the command easier"  
"For a change, I agree with you", Fara smiled.

Yes, she was jealous of the assumed feelings _her_ Shai Alyt had for the Anla'Shok, but that did not mean she couldn't take professional decisions involving her. To a certain level, she respected the female.

"She's actually of some use on this mission", she could not resist a snide remark however. Naroon just ignored the comment and went ahead with positioning the Anla'Shok as he saw fit.

"I'll leave you to your schematics", Fara said, satisfied that she had helped him.  
"Enjoy the tea"

* * *

The plan had nicely come together. The schematics looked good, the positioning felt right, in essence: he finally was content with the result.

All that remained now was to ask Renati's cooperation. Surely she would not deny the request of a Shai Alyt?  
Of course, if she would refuse he could still order her to, but it was not the Minbari way. Plus, if she agreed out of her own will, it was so much more satisfying. It would feel as if she's doing it for him, not the telepaths.

Of course, the mission meant no swift return to Minbar for Renati neither. Anla'Shok Na would not be informed as timely as she liked, but Naroon knew Renati had already sent him a short summary of the event.

He shook the thoughts from his head when he faced Renati's living quarters' door and swooped his hand over the crystal. Why was he nervous?

Prwing…  
No reply.

_What do you mean, no reply?_

She wasn't in the common room, training grounds, meditational quarters or mess hall. Where in Valen's name was she?

"Computer, locate individual: Renati, Anla'Shok", he spoke impatiently into his arm guard.  
"Individual located. Current location: War room", the crystal clear voice replied.

_The War room? She doesn't have clearance for that!_

Unnerved by the Anla'Shok's impulsiveness, he chased her to the War room.

* * *

"As you see the depth of the gap is too large for it to be from any other ship. As I have explained a thirty four times before this is the result of a Shadow weapon", Renati spoke both annoyed and tired.

She had been in the War room together with Kujar and Moran longer than she could remember, going over the incident step by step to make sure they hadn't missed anything.  
Additionally, she had hoped to convince the two Warriors that the enemy was in fact returning and as such gain their personal support.

"I still believe that kind of beam must have come from a bigger ship than you imply", Moran protested.  
"No ship that size can generate such a big gap, even a Vorlon ship can't", Kujar agreed.  
"Have you ever seen a Vorlon ship in action Kujar?", Renati doubted he had.  
"Yes I have"  
"You have?"  
"I've seen…", he hesitated for a moment.  
"What have you seen him do?", Renati pressed.

"I have seen a Vorlon ship and their weapons", he rephrased his statement.  
"Active?", he Anla'Shok replied doubtfully again.  
"Not as such… but come on, this is absurd", he protested.

"A small Vorlon ship can take out a Sharlin", she warned him, "The Shadows have _darker_ technology. They do not withhold from 'unethical' weaponry"

Noticing she had the full attention of the Warriors, Renati explained what she had learned about the Ancient Enemy as Anla'Shok through scriptures of Valen, the transferred knowledge of Lennon and other informational means.  
"The enemy believes in chaos. They believe chaos is the way to advance species, any species, including their own"  
She took a more serious tone and warned: "They are incredibly powerful Kujar, it shakes my bone just speaking of them. I'm scared, I really am"

Kujar and Moran saw the fright in this young Religious Caste's eyes. It was unnerving, especially considering she probably knew a lot more than she was letting on.  
"That is why we must strike pre-emptively. If we linger and wait until they have gathered their forces and they are ready, we are all doomed"

Again an eery silence filled the War room. She had no reason to exaggerate or lie about the enemy they were facing. Could they really be that fearsome or had the rumours just turned legendary in the course of a thousand years?

"I just wish the Warrior Caste would believe us", she plead.  
"How will we know if they are ready? If they are preparing for war, where is their fleet?", Moran rightfully noted.  
"That's the problem, they're dispersed. They have learned from past mistakes. That's why we are having so much trouble estimating how much time we have left. We have to find out where they are", she explained.

"They do show themselves occasionally as you have witnessed. They strike at random – expendable – locations at first to test their strength. It's the same pattern they used a thousand years ago, only applied more cautiously"  
"Well, we know they're coming, so we can prepare", Kujar replied dryly.  
"Yes!", Renati outed as she grabbed the Warrior by the shoulders, "We've been telling you this for a thousand years, will you finally join us?"

The door of the War room opened, but the Warriors paid no heed to it. Naroon looked baffled at the Anla'Shok holding one of his more fierce Warriors by the fabric of his tunic.  
"Am I interrupting anything?"  
"You could help!", Renati squeaked in excitement.  
"I think you're- why _are_ you my Kor by the shoulders?", he asked discontent.  
"To convince him to join our cause", she explained without hesitation.

"Kor, are you convinced?", Naroon implied their leave.  
"Pretty convinced, yes", Kujar replied and felt Renati letting go of him.  
"Thank you Kor"  
The Shai Alyt only had to look at Moran before he too agreed with his fellow Warrior.  
"Thank you Shai Alyt for wrapping this up! I'm sure Renati will give you a summary of what we've discussed here the last twelve hours. We'll see you!", Kujar moused his way out of a prickly situation and left the Anla'Shok to face the consequences.

Naroon approached her, but left some distance. He looked either disappointed or angry, she couldn't tell, but none of the above was good.  
"A word", he requested.  
Renati based her eyes at the floor, waiting for judgement.

"Did you ask for permission to use this room?", his severe voice asked.  
"No", a faint reply came from the shrinking Religious Caste.  
"Did you ask permission to hassle my Warriors with your theories? And keep them from their duties for _twelve_ hours?"  
Renati did not reply, but kept her head down. It was not so much the time she had spent with them or why she had done so that bothered him, but she was in the _war room_.

The war room had several rituals tied to it, several of which she probably failed by ignorance. It is believed amongst the Caste that bad luck will haunt the ship that neglects proper rituals and serenity around the war room.

"How did you even get in here?"  
"Kujar opened the door", she replied neutral.  
Naroon sighed and paced around her.

"What's your rank on this ship?", he tried putting her in her place.  
"Alyt", she replied.  
Naroon was angered at first, but when no protest came he laughed in disbelief.  
"And since when , Renati of the Anla'Shok, are you an Alyt in the Warrior Caste?"  
Her mockery was daunting, he would see how far she would take it. He did not know why she was testing him like this, but in any case he would not let her win.

"Since the battle of IO"  
Naroon stopped his pacing and glanced at her from the side. The Moon Shield stood pinned to the ground in his own War room.

_Was she serious?_

Renati noticed the distress forming on his frown and quickly added:  
"I do not mean to exercise this power. I merely replied. You asked, so I answered"  
She undid her dark Anla'Shok covering robe, revealing a small Alyt insignia pinned on her shirt to the right of her chest.  
Naroon looked at it in disbelief, feeling both betrayed and overjoyed.

"Who granted you the rank?", he wondered, keeping his voice calm.  
"Shai Alyt Hat Branmer", Renati clarified.  
"How generous of him", his reply came more cynical than he had intended for it to. He did not look down on the decoration, he was merely caught off guard by it.

"What did you do to deserve such an honour?", he tried in a different voice now.  
"Varas and I are responsible for the strike on IO", Renati replied with a based head.  
"The IO assault? The Anla'Shok who tricked the Human ships into thinking there was another fleet behind them? That was you?", he outed.  
"Varas and I to be correct"

"Varas also carries the rank of Alyt?!"  
"No, she declined"  
"She _declined_?", Naroon couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
"She has guts", Renati wrapped up the story.

The Shai Alyt recommenced his pacing up and down the room. He did not ask for Varas' motivation, it was clear Renati was done talking about it.  
Alyt, in the Warrior Caste. Incredible!

"Have I offended you?", Renati worried.  
"You could have told me when you came aboard _my_ ship that I was welcoming one of rank", Naroon replied with a look in his eyes a child carries when they find out something they believed in was not so.  
"I'm sure that would have made your Alyt radiatingly happy. 'Hi, I'm Renati the Religious Caste Anla'Shok you have never met before, who likes your Shai Alyt and oh happens to have your rank with no years of service!", she blurted out.

"Yeah I think she would have been thrilled!", Renati quickly added, trying to take away the attention from her slip. Finally Naroon caved, he couldn't help snickering at the thought of Fara's face.  
Oh she would definitely radiate.

Renati was relieved the air cleared somewhat and decided to test her luck.  
"Something tells me there's something else bothering you aside from me using two of your Warriors and War room. I think you're going a little hard on me just for that", she tried with a smile.  
"It's all on record, if you watch it you'll see it was all very constructive", she added when his reaction remained at bay.

"I do not doubt your constructiveness", he smiled, more relaxed now.  
"I have bad news"  
Renati looked at the Warrior, waiting for the response to his own statement.

"We will not be returning to Minbar immediately. We will be going to Eshar for a couple of days and from there on we can continue", he explained.  
"But I must object Shai Alyt, I really need to get back to Tuzanor"  
"I can drop you off any where you like between here and Eshar. You can take a transport from there", Naroon replied.  
Renati did not reply, but had no choice but to agree.

"That's not all, I am in need of your assistance", he asked, "I have been asked to guard the Telepath order for a gathering on Eshar"  
"Protection from what?", Renati wondered.

Naroon smiled wryly at her identical reaction.  
"Do not ponder on the mission, simply complete the objectives", he gave a humorously intended Shai Alyt's answer.  
"What do you require?", she asked, squeamish about the telepath part of the mission.

Naroon recalled the schematics for the gathering on the projection in the War room.  
"As you see, we are to cover both air and ground security with the limited crew we have. My own men are not sufficient for this, however if we could acquire the assistance from the Anla'Shok, the mission would be successful. I would like to put you in the position of mediating between the crew and the Anla'Shok present"

"You want me to help you guard the telepaths?", she had to keep her voice from breaking. If she could turn any paler, she would have. Being amongst them would mean a great risk to her, but it was not as if she had the option of refusal. Rejection would mean insulting Naroon, but acceptance…

"I understand that this may be somewhat daunting being around so many revered individuals, but I could really use your help", Naroon mistook her silence for awe.  
But no reply came.

"If you're not up to the task, I can always ask someone else", he teased expecting a feisty reply. But again Renati remained silenced. It appeared she was entranced by the idea.  
Naroon did not know what to make of it, so tried another tactic.

"It is of course the perfect opportunity to prove your worth as Alyt to Fara", he could not resist a mischievous smile.  
Competition, now there's an idea!

Renati could not help the stoutness in her heart and replied: "I will go over the schematics and have feedback in four hours"  
"By tomorrow will do fine, don't forget to take some rest", he insisted.  
"By tomorrow then"  
Naroon nodded, pleased at the success of his plan.

"Again, I'm sorry if I have offended you, Shai Alyt", she added and respectfully bowed, hands in a triangle in front of her. Naroon returned the greeting raised his eyes to heaven after her leave.

Incredible.

* * *

Renati stood in front of the Shai Alyt's quarters, holding the revised schematics in her hand.  
She had gone over them and had researched on some of the Anla'Shok she didn't know. After putting the puzzle of people together, she rearranged the servants of Lennon to their capacities, aided by Naroon's notes on his own men.

"'Hi, I have finished going over the plans' – No, too casual", Renati practiced before going in.  
"'Good morning Shai Alyt, I have revised the schematics' – No, too formal. And not Shai Alyt, he seems so distant when I say that"  
"Do I?"

Naroon's voice sunk Renati straight through the deck. If anything she wished she could disappear and jump into another plain – right now.  
"I do not see myself as distant", he tried smiling her comfortable.

_Valen save me!_ she panicked.

"So the schematics, _Alyt_?", he teased.  
"O-Of course, here", she said and handed him a data crystal.  
"We should follow protocol and go over them together", Naroon insisted and opened the door.  
"O-Oh in your quarters", Renati had lost herself in shyness and shame. Everything that left her lips appeared wrong.  
"Would you prefer the War room?"

Naroon did not spare the young Religious Caste. She was cowering at his feet and he was loving it. Such an innocent little soul she had.  
He would enjoy his time with her, he would very much indeed.

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Hiai'sa _(Vik)_: The highest rank of Toran, Hiai'sa oversee all level of ship systems, tactical stations and combat activities. An officer rank, the Hiai'sa is expected to provide leadership in battle, taking his orders directly from the Alyt of his ship or as the commander of his own heavy scout or smaller vessel.


	29. Chapter 29: Renati's reeducation

**Renati's re-education**

Tavalan is a quiet planet with a standard population of around 55,000. This number is frequently boosted as the planet's beautiful environment is inviting for a gathering of any kind.  
The planet has an almost Mars-like tectonic composition without the extreme desert conditions. Instead, it is very rich in water, partially because of the Minbari's terra-forming.

Tavalan was one of the first planets the Minbari terra-formers were let lose on, thus carries the result of many experimental techniques. The shrine of Jonalla in the city of Ninashi owes its lush gardens to these scientific endeavours.

Renati couldn't help finding the planet to be an odd sight when viewed from orbit. Its nearly clear atmosphere allows the visitor to see right through to the planet's surface, the beautiful intertwining of red and blue hues.

The planet was protected by a single Shen'Tan space station: a typical Minbari relocatable platform with enough firepower to fend off intrusions by enemy crafts. The planet itself was favoured by the Worker and Religious Caste, so the Moon Shields had no hope for any unexpected help on their endeavour.

Renati closed her eyes as the transport ship took her down. There were no butterflies in her stomach on the descent, this was no alien spacecraft but Minbari technology made to perfection.  
A pity, she thought, for the only good thing about off-world transport was the little adventure rush they give you when they land.

When the hatch released Renati after touch down, she noticed Lana waiting to greet her. She did not know Lana personally, but the files she had studied have given her an insight as to what the Anla'Shok project leader of this endeavour is like.

Lana is the descendant of a family of Anla'Shok, both her mother and father still serving in the order. When she wears the pin, she wears it with pride. No drooping shoulders, but the shine of the sign reflecting in her eyes.

Lana is one of the rooted envoys of Lennon, one who does not stand for the condescension many carry for the agents of the universe. She is also one who puts her many influences to use, for better or worse. One is advised not to cross her, or one just may miss out on the invitation for the next important meeting – or worse.

Lana had the power to pull the social rug from under your feet and smack you in the head with it. Fortunately for the Minbari people, she was not a vengeful one. She was of course one the _Tea circle_ had their eye on.

"Anla'Shok Lana", Renati bowed.  
"Anla'Shok Renati. It is good to finally meet you", the excited female spoke. She was around Renati's age, but carried great enthusiasm for this meeting. Renati's reputation preceeded her and Lana had a soft spot for the rebellious. Renati was proof that the Anla'Shok were not a bunch of washed out wrinkled Religious Castes sitting in a corner prophesising about Valen and the return of the Enemy.

She was the maverick who, granted, kicked the wrong shins on occasion, but mostly reminded society that there is passion and zest in the Anla'Shok.  
The only thing Lana regretted was that her partner Varas was not joining her on this mission. She too was a great example to the younger recruits, though neither females had any idea of their growing importance.

"Likewise. I regret we have not met before, for your reputation precedes you", Renati hinted at the Anla'Shok's inventive ways of getting information.  
"In a good way, of course", she added. She did not know if Lana would respond well to her idea of humour, it was best not to take any risks.  
"Is there any other?", Lana replied joyfully.  
"I have been aboard a ship packet with Warriors for weeks now, trust me there are many other ways", she joked.

Lana laughed politely, but also wanted to test her companion's wit.  
"Rumour has it you do not mind spending time with the Warrior Caste", she confronted her.  
"I never said I mind", Renati quickly recaptured, "They have merely opened my eyes to oher possibilities"  
"Opened your eyes?", Lana said with a challenging tone as they paced together into the compound.

"I have been given the task of asking for your assistance", Renati changed the nature of the conversation .  
"I figured as much when I saw the crew complement of the _guards_", she smiled, "The Tiris is seriously understaffed"  
"At the moment they are. That is why I assisted the Shai Alyt in changing some of the positions assigned to Anla'Shok, optimising our intervention", Renati explained.

Lana stopped her pace for an instant and looked at her colleague – baffled.  
"You corrected a Shai Alyt's battle plan?"  
"Of course, he was very receptive of my suggestions", Renati replied, oblivious as usual.

Lana controlled her urge for making a snite remark, but instead chose to direct her fire at her counterpart.  
"So the Warrior Caste requires assistance from the Anla'Shok? Who would have thought we would live to see the day they admit they need us!", she exclaimed.  
"As it stands, they have given quite a bit to the Anla'Shok as well. Or rather, to whoever is near the Tiris in time of need"

Lana looked puzzled, but ready to receive the information. She hadn't heard this before.  
"Varas and myself were granted transport by Sharlin to the Gaim homeworld", Renati grinned as far as her lips went back.  
Lana felt a rush of envy overcoming her, but quickly pushed it down. Public transport to anything in that sector was hell. Any Anla'Shok avoided going there as much possible. After all, what is more delightful than being stuck with telepathically connected instects mingled amongst Brakiri on a ship for weeks.

"Well that's hardly low-profile of you", she tried a come-back nonetheless.  
"The crew didn't mind", Renati enjoyed the slight envy her confrere's thoughts carried.  
"And hyperspace is free for all"

"Of course, and if you run into any kind of problem in the system, help is only a Sharlin away", Lana joked. She would have to remember this next time she travels off-world.

_What was the name of the Shai Alyt again?_

"As you see, I would consider it a personal favour if you would help me assisting the crew of the Tiris with their 'guard duty'", Renati insisted.

Lana smiled, warm this time, no longer envious. It was not the type of envy that carried jealousy, but the envy that regretted missing the moment.  
She wished she could have been part of it, but perhaps if she helps out the Warrior Caste, she will not have to worry about getting to the Abbai delegation in one piece the next time she needs some delicate information.

"I will convery the plans to the others, all will be in place as expected", she assured her new found friend.  
"Thank you, Anla'Shok Lana"

* * *

It took Shai Alyt Naroon ra Shaibar'nik only forty-five minutes to get everyone – sky and ground – into place. A bit long too his liking, but then again communication with the Anla'Shok had not always been optimal.  
Some of his crew had tried giving direct orders to them, but for some reason the Religious Caste did not react well to commandment by Warriors, though the Worker part followed without question.

This had lead Naroon to encouraging the crew to sticking to the original plan: use Renati – and Renati alone – as liaison.  
Another reason why he hated politically tainted missions such as these.

When the telepaths arrived on the planet, he was shocked by their chaotic nature. Instead of nicely heading towards the main meeting hall, they tend to cluster in groups of three or four in separate rooms.  
As he had neither the manpower nor the patience for _protecting_ them on that level, he ordered all smaller rooms locked, forcing them into only three locations: the main meeting hall, the smaller private sessions room and the garden.

Three Warriors constantly overlooked the endeavours in the garden, making use of the situation for doing some information gathering themselves.

Not everyone had a stationary position though: Renati was the one walking up and down the compound, heading from post to post to double check if everything was alright. Not that she minded, travelling around was something she was good at.

* * *

When the Telepath gathering was one hour on its way, it was time for her next round. She took the route around the main hall and overheard some of the lecture an older telepath was giving to the public's hungry ears.  
She did not mind telepaths. Just as every other Minbari, she had great respect for them, she just didn't want to become one of them.

Confined to the earth of Minbar? Eternally doomed to adventures lacking suspense?  
Never.

Down the hallway she saw the silhouette of the Shai Alyt. Momentarily she _did_ feel the butterflies creep up.  
Renati swallowed and smiled sheepishly when he turned her way.

He walked over to ask for a debriefing or perhaps a casual chat, Renati would never know. When they were about ten meters removed, their armguards bleeped simultaneously. She wanted to ignore the screech of the infernal device and concentrate on what was ahead of her, but duty left her no choice.

"There's a Human ship entering the system", Fara's voice alarmed the twosome.  
"A Human ship? How in Shintavi's(1) name did it get here?", Naroon cursed.  
"I have no idea. We-"  
"What kind of cruiser is it? Armourment, size? Report Fara!", he cut her off, close to losing his temper.  
As if this make-shift mission couldn't get any worse…

"It's a one-man shuttle, reconnaissance by the looks of it"  
"Send two Nials to capture it. Blindfold and sedate, give him the usual treatment until the event is over. We'll worry about it once this sherade is over. Be careful though, I have known several men to emerge from a one-man shuttle", he instructed her.  
"Of course Shai Alyt"

Naroon based his shoulders and looked inspirationlessly at Renati.  
"There's something that doesn't add up", she insisted, "A Human ship in the middle of Minbari space that hasn't been detected by any of our other ships?"  
The Warrior contemplated on her comment, but another buzz from his armguard bothered him.

It was a moment before the reply came, and a good thing Naroon had not activated visual. After her moment's hesitation, a blank-faced Fara spoke: "He's heading for the planet"  
"What do you mean he's heading for the planet? In Valen's name intercept!", Naroon commanded.  
"We have the ship, but it launched a drop pod. Our calculations say it's in collision trajectory with the garden", Fara explained. Naroon's body boiled with anger.  
"You will not hear the end of this!", he snarled at his Alyt's unprecedented mistake.  
And she knew.

He did not have to command Renati, she was already on her way to the garden. Naroon called in several Warriors to apprehend whatever would come out of the shuttle, while Renati ordered the Anla'Shok to clear the area.

Two telepaths who were reluctant to withdraw from the beautiful environment of the Jonalla garden were treated to a cloud of murky dust and sand as the pod smashed into the ground.  
"Get out!", Lana ordered them, this time not repeated.

Eleven fully-armed Warriors aimed their armguards at the pod's door, positioned in a crescent shape, their leader in the centre.

Suddenly, a shiney object flew through a crack between the hull and the door. With a reflexive move, Shai Alyt Naroon caught the device before it hit the Worker Caste Anla'Shok standing behind him. Expecting a grenade, the others instinctively ducked, but once Naroon realised what he was holding he told the others to stand down.

"Lower your weapons"  
Trusting their commander even in a doubtful situation such as this, the Warriors obeyed. Naroon paced over to Renati and placed the item in her hand, the fires of anguish in his eyes.  
"It's yours, handle it"

Renati did not understand his rage until she saw what he had given her.

An Anla'Shok pin.

"Is this Tuzanor by any chance?", a voice in Common disrupted the scene.  
_This is not happening…._

"You!", Renati too spat poison when she saw a rumpled Marcus covered in the debris of his own shuttle. He must have purchased it with the last possessions he had – or he had gotten lucky and found one on Arisia. Whichever it was, Renati didn't care.

"You?", he replied surprised, "Is this Tuzanor then?"  
"No, you're several planets off and lucky to be alive", she grinded.  
"I know", he said while trying to climb out of the wreck. To his surprise, the Minbari helped him.  
"No you don't. I've just cleared away the dozen Warriors that had a warm welcoming for you"  
"And it's much appreciated!", he replied as inappropriately perky as only Marcus can.  
"You owe me your life", she said bitter, "You will do as I tell you"  
"Nothing new there", he sighed under his breath.

Renati bit her tongue in order to maintain her temper and snarled: "You will start by keeping your lips sealed and your thoughts to yourself"  
Marcus did not attempt to counter the Minbari this time. He knew well enough when he was beaten. In fact, he was surprised that this one was sticking up for him. William must have truly impressed her.

The surroundings appeared like a magical world to him. Plants he had never heard of, flowers he had never seen and a sky so clear one would think it's crystal. He felt like a kid in a candy store, albeit one filled with angry aliens.

"Is there a room where I can secure him?", Renati asked Lana, who just gave her a confused look.  
"Where _they_ will not find him", she clarified.  
"It's a bit late for that", Lana pointed at the dozens of telepaths peering through the glass on the upper level overseeing the garden.

_Grand…_

"I thought I asked you to clear the premises?", Renati stood like a commander with a disobedient crew.  
"That's the corridor to the main hall. I can't just clear it out in two seconds because some Human comes dropping-'  
"Alright alright, I'll handle it. Just make sure I'm not followed"

Lana did not take the irritated comment of her colleague personally, though she found Renati suspiciously overreacted.

"Wear it. If you lose it, you die", Renati said when she handed the pin back to Marcus.

* * *

The calm but beneath worried face of Fara appeared on screen of a communications console in one of the compound's smaller rooms.  
"Yes?"

The Anla'Shok was calling her? This was either very good or very bad.  
Did she feel lucky?

"I will be in your debt if you do this for me", Renati made it as quick and painless as possible.  
"Intriguing", Fara replied, hiding her amusement.  
Renati grabbed a hold of Marcus and put him in view.  
"Ship him to Tuzanor"

A long period of silence followed in which it appeared Fara was debating with herself whether or not this was worth the Anla'Shok's favour.

"He is expected there", Renati insisted.  
"I am?"  
"Shut up"

"I will send a ship, make sure he's ready", Fara agreed, now having Renati in her hands.

* * *

"Thank you for everything", Marcus finally spoke again when the shuttle arrived. He had been quiet the entire time, though Renati did not realise yet how uncommon that was for him.  
"I'm sorry for getting you in debt to… uhm…"  
"A Warrior"  
"A Warrior… right. I don't know exactly what the consequences of that are yet but-"  
"I'm Religious. You will know soon enough what the implications are – if you survive the training that is", Renati warned him.

"…and she's Alyt on top of it", she grinded.  
"Then I ensure you that I will put every fibre of my being to the fullest in completing the training and repay you", he stated valiantly, but left the Anla'Shok unimpressed.  
"Yes", came her dry reply.

When Renati saw Lana approach in the distance, she suddenly felt like her mind was being touched. Reflexively she blocked out whoever tried gaining access, but gave it no further thought.

Down the hall a telepath collapsed with a nose bleed. His companions looked with fear at the Religious Caste, who shouldn't have had that effect on him.

* * *

Now that Marcus was secured and the telepath gathering well on its way again, Renati went looking for Naroon.  
She was shamed by what had happened, even though it was not directly her fault, she took responsibility for it – as he probably blamed her for it anyway.

An apology was in order. He had been nervous enough about this event. The least she could do was give him someone to blame and vent his anger at.

When she passed some conversing telepaths in the hallway, she felt another scan. She turned, but they did not look at her.  
However, the further down the hall she walked, the more telepaths scanned her. After a while, they even stopped hiding and stared her right in the eyes.

She tried to escape, away from the main hall, but around te corner waited a surprise. A group of ten stood there, waiting, looking at her and one by one scanning for her surface thoughts.

Renati felt like a rat being drawn into a corner. She paced backwards, fear in her eyes until she hit the wall.  
Her heart stopped in her chest, her breath being caught.  
What were they going to do to her?

The scene was interrupted by another summon from her armguard.

_Bless that infernal device!_

"Anla'Shok Renati, your presence is requested in the main hallway", one of the other Anla'Shok informed her.  
She did not stop to think the hallway would probably be laden with even more telepaths – she just wanted to get away from these.

Without looking back, she sped off to the large aula and walked up to the front stage. Apparently the previous lecture had just ended.

The Anla'Shok that had called her stood next to a small old man, his ornamental garment indicating his importance. The fifty heads in the room followed her every move until she was in front of him.

Click.

The door closed. What in Valen's name was going on here?

"It's astonishing", the old man spoke while looking up at the large female in front of him. She was doing her best to hide her fear, but her thoughts betrayed her.  
"What is, Master?", she replied, quivering.  
"Indeed, Master", he spoke content, praising himself for his display of power.

"It's amazing how long you have kept it a secret"  
Renati's eyes flashed at the Anla'Shok behind the Telepath Master, pleading for help.  
"What secret?", he tried, but was met by a dreading gaze of all telepaths in the room. Clearly, he was not to be included in the conversation. His presence was already too much.

"How strong are you?", Master Kadroni wondered and tilted his head, like a predator confident with victory. The only thing missing was the licking of the lips.  
Renati couldn't have given him an answer even if she wanted to. She decided to play it smart and held her tongue.

Master Kadroni forced the issue and passed her blockades, setting them aside as if they never were a bother in the first place.  
Renati didn't feel it until it was too late. It didn't even hurt when he tore down her wall of resistance. Not that it gave a warm fuzzy feeling inside, but there definitely was a sense of surrender – albeit involuntarily.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous you are?", the Master angered when he retracted from her mind.  
"I've never harmed another Minbari! I'm sure you have the ability to check", she said, not knowing of what had gone by earlier.

"I do not need to check, this is not the issue. You are untrained and thus dangerous. This charade ends here", he exercised his authority.  
"I did not ask to be like this!", Renati protested, "I have chosen my path in life and will stand by it. I will not leave the Anla'Shok!"

Renati trembled as she tried to argue with the Grand Master. He could not do this to her, she would not let him.  
"That is not for you to decide young one, and you know this. Otherwise you would not have kept it hidden for so long", he spat the accusation.

Renati was desperate. She would go Casteless before she would leave the Anla'Shok to join the Telepath Order.  
"I would not recommend that course of action", Master Kadroni spoke, picking up her broadcasted thoughts.  
"Stay out! You have no right-"  
"I have every right!", he yelled back this time. This insolent female refused to obey, what was her problem? She should be grateful if one!

"You do not! It is not because you are stronger, you can pry on the weak", she yelped.  
"But you are not weak", he commented with a sinister regard.  
"Apparently weak enough"

"Stop making a fool of yourself. You will come with us and receive the proper training you should have had since crèche", he attempted to end the discussion.  
"I will not become one of the Telepath Order"  
"The decision has already been made"  
"I will protest this with my elders!", Renati spoke in a last act of desperation.

Master Kadroni couldn't hold back a small train of laughter.  
"Little child of Chu'Domo, I _am_ your elder"  
"Anla'Shok Na is my elder!", she snapped.

Again, this young female drove him to the limits of his patience.

"You will hold your tongue now before making it any worse. You will learn our way and some manners while we're at it! Insolent being! You should be at my feet with praise because I will take the time to teach you how to control the marvel you have been blessed with"  
"I cannot learn, I have so many other things I still need to learn. I do not have the time", she cried.  
"Time? That's your excuse? Really, you can't think of anything better? My child, we have all the time in the universe and for you, training will take up half of that", he threatened.

Renati was left with nothing. She had never been taken down like this by anyone, let alone one of her own kind, her own Caste even.

"I do not want to learn", was her final stand, but she know it did not stand for much of an argument. Her voice was less confident, slightly crumbing.  
"Desire is not a privilege, it is a right you will have to earn", he spoke, feeling the imminent victory.  
"Take her away", he commanded the two guards in the room.

Vreni looked at Kujar in question. That was Renati. Surely the telepath couldn't be serious about locking away one of their own?  
As it was not a direct command from Naroon, Kujar remained in place. This was the only way he could stretch some time for his friend.

"Get me their leader!", the telepath spat at the insolence of the Warriors. The Anla'Shok did as he was asked, caught in something he had never wanted to be part of.

* * *

"What's the meaning of this?", Naroon sensed the hostility in the air, all eyes focused on Renati.  
"Shai Alyt Naroon of the Shaibar'nik, please guide this one to my ship and place her in confinement"

Desperation cried from Renati's eyes as she beheld Naroon.  
_Don't let them to this to me! _

"She has been insubordinate and needs to receive proper punishment", the Master clarified when sensing the Shai Alyt's hesitation.

Renati insubordinate? Rebellious, yes, but what could she possibly have refused to drive this telepath into such a burst of violent anger?  
_Impossible female…_

"May I ask the charge?", Naroon gave the diplomatic approach a go.  
"She has the gift, but has hidden it from us. She is to receive proper training so she is no longer a menace to society", the Grand Master dramatised the act.

Naroon felt his heart crumble.  
Renati was telepathic?!

Anla'Shok, Alyt and telepathic? What else was there that she hadn't told him? What else was she hiding?

For an instant, the Shai Alyt forgot he was in a room filled with those who had the power to read emotions.  
He let grief overcome him. Grief in realisation that if she was telepathic, she could never be with a Warrior, the council would not have it.  
However it was not only grief that crept up, betrayal did as well.

Why hadn't she told him? Surely, he had proven his trustworthiness to her.  
Or was her affection part of some Anla'Shok scheme to deceive the Warrior Caste?

Everything they had built up over the past few months shattered in his heart. The feelings, the caring, the love, the lust…  
Any of those in his thoughts right now felt like needles pressing through skin, agonizingly painful.

How could she do this?

Naroon stopped himself from slipping further away.  
_I've been through worse_, he comforted himself, although he was not sure whether that was true. It _really_ hurt.

"Is it really necessary to hold her in confinement? After all, she is one of our own, regardless of her crime", he pleaded in her advantage nonetheless. He was not going to leave her to the mercy of an enraged telepath, regardless of their personal feud.

"Yes it is, for the environment is not as safe as originally perceived since it started raining Humans", the Grand Master put the Shai Alyt in his place.  
Normally, he wouldn't have, but the amount of resistance his _subjects_ were giving him was well beyond acceptable. It was time for him to cut out some veins.

"That was an Anla'Shok matter! The Warrior Caste has nothing to do with this!", Renati cried out in defence of the powerless Shai Alyt.  
"Be quiet", Master Kadroni snarled.

"No! This is madness, you cannot lock me up! I am Minbari!"  
"We're not locking you up", the Master argued her wording.  
"You're putting me into confinement! That's equally bad", she protested.  
"You will go into confinement, willingly or not", he threatened for the last time.  
"I'm not going!", she cried like a little child.

That was it, the limit had been reached.

The telepath turned around to face Naroon and commanded: "Shai Alyt, I have neither the patience nor the time to deal with this. Do your duty"

It hurt him to see her so desperate and at the end of her dignity. She was ready to give it all up if only she didn't need to go with them. Naroon could only half grasp the fear she must have lived with, but he could not let compassion guide his decisions.

She had broken the rules, she is obliged to inform the Telepath Order of her gift, under any circumstance. It didn't matter if she had only known for a day or for years, she knew, but she did not speak up.

Did Akel know? Did Varas?

Again he shook the thoughts away. They were of no concern in the matter. She needed to be punished for her actions, penance was required.

But why did he have to be the one to exercise the order?

Regardless of the anger and betrayal in his heart, he had no desire for vengeance in such a manner. A good rant in which he can throw everything that's been bothering him at her yes, a sufficient beating – perhaps. But not this, not condemnation to a life amongst telepaths.

Renati's eyes welled up as she felt the Shai Alyt's hesitation. She read his doubts and part of his feelings. Naroon's head hurt as he felt her touch his mind. He winced in an attempt to keep her out.

"Insolent child!", the Grand Master yelled when he saw – and misinterpreted – what happened and got ready to put her out himself.

"No!", Naroon protested just in time, "We do not harm our own"

His words struck her more deeply than anything had before, for she knew he was not talking about her accidental mind scan. She had harmed him, in the worst possible way. His heart was now broken, never to be fixed.

A tear rolled across her shocked face when she realised the graveness of her error.When she looked at him, all she saw was pain. Pain, agony and betrayal.

"Naroon, don't-"  
"Take her away", he commanded with a cool voice. Though internally he crumbled, neither his posture nor his face gave any indication of his imbalance. He was a Shai Alyt executing an order. Nothing more, nothing less.

We all give orders we don't want to give. This was Naroon's .

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Shintavi: Founder of the Shaibar'nik. Infamous for his disputes with his second-in-command and settler of the Shaibar'nik defensive nature.

* * *

**Next chapter: **The Awakening of the Soul.

Coming soon!!


	30. Chapter 30: The awakening of the soul

**The Awakening of the soul**

Dianor, the city of the speechless. Seven weeks there and still no end in sight. Renati felt trapped like a bird in a golden cage on the island located on the West side of Minbar.It was far removed from both her home town Tuzanor as well as the planet's capital Yedor. The city closest to Dianor was Han'li, city of the creative, but even that was miles removed. There was nowhere for her to run to, nowhere for her to hide.

There was no escape this time, she would have to sit this one through. Though she was blessed with the patience of Sech Midiri, Renati could not settle.  
She had given up protesting against her lessons, not because she couldn't keep it up, but because she didn't want to disrespect her Sech.  
After all, it was Midiri who had to do the explaining to Grand Master Kadroni whenever Renati had done something wrong.

He had finally found the perfect leverage to keep her in check: guilt.

There were many nights that Renati would sit by her window, feet on the windowsill, knees up to her chest and look at the stars. She would wonder about Akel and Varas, about the other Anla'Shok and of course… Naroon.

Did they even know what fate had befallen her? Did Anla'Shok Na know?

The Master Telepath was very apt at picking efficient penance. For missing a class, Renati has been denied six months of personal contact with anyone outside the island. No comm. link, no arm guard, nothing.  
She had even been forced to wear _proper_ Religious Caste robes, though she pinned her Anla'Shok badge on top of them. No one was to forget why she was there.

She held on to the thought that she would return to the Anla'Shok. After the training would be over, she would go back and everything would return to the way it was. At least, that was what her inmost desires felt like.

She had no idea of what was going on outside, she had lost connection with the real world. It was as if the universe was moving, but she was standing still, watching everyone move away from her.

Akel was probably furiously looking for a way of getting her out, but would treat her with equal furiousity for not telling her about her gift.

Varas knew, but was probably too mad at Renati for getting caught to be bothered to look for her. Let her steam, then I'll rescue her – at least, that's what Renati figured Varas was doing.

Anla'Shok Na was probably disappointed in her sudden disappearance, but had possibly prepared himself for something similar ages ago. It's not as if he gave her the safest missions.

And Naroon…  
She dared not think of him. Tears welled up in her eyes when she even mouthed his name. Imagine what seeing memories of his look, his voice or his touch did to her.

Renati never thought he would react the way he had. Furthermore, she never considered him finding out in the first place. Her telepathic ability was so dormant and random, that it's not something she tells people. It often doesn't even occur to her to do so.

But these past weeks she has been brought very aware of the curse of the telepath. Now that they have unlocked her powers, she keeps hearing the thoughts of others and is exhausted every night just from keeping the others out.

_Curse them for making me live like this!_

She had condemned the Order many a times, but it made no difference. She was stuck on this island and there wasn't a soul able to save her. She had to pass Kadroni's test, it was the only way she could get out of there.  
Either that or become a stronger telepath and force her way out.

"You have not slept again", Sech Midiri's concern got Renati's attention.  
"Is it that time already?", the Anla'Shok replied, not caring for her lack of sleep.

She was a wreck anyway. Besides if she slept, it only got worse. The barriers came down and let it all in. Nightmares like you've never seen before.  
No, Renati no longer liked to sleep. Only when she dropped dead from exhaustion would she rest into slumber.

Sech Midiri was desperate to cure the hard-headedness of her student, but had yet to find a way.  
"You know today is the first day of your trials", she reminded her.  
"I know"  
"He will know you did not prepare"  
"Then he will know I am not cut out for this", Renati replied.

Midiri walked over to her student and leaned against the windowsill she was sitting on. She placed her hand on Renati's knee and looked at her like a mother does her child.  
"That attitude won't get you anywhere. You will only vex him and punish yourself", she tried.  
She had told Renati this a hundred times before, but the thick-headed Religious Caste seemed to make a point out of rebellion. She did not mind the countless explanations she had had to do, but she minded the fact that her student was in fact degrading.

True, her telepathic ability was gaining strength, quite impressively actually, but morally she had hit rock bottom and was looking for a way to dive even deeper.  
The state of the mind is equally important as its strength, Midiri believed, but Master Kadroni did not share her belief.

And his word was law.  
Not that he was a tyrant, people followed him willingly, but he had very persuasive means of conveying his will. Hence his frustration with the ever obtrusive Renati.

"Don't worry, I'll do it", Renati said.  
"If you are not prepared, they can hurt you Renati", Midiri warned, but Renati got up and pinned her Anla'Shok badge on.  
She turned to her Sech and spoke: "I will be alright because Minbari do not harm Minbari"

* * *

Seven weeks.  
It had been this long since Fara had been able to sit down with Naroon and have a fun evening together.

It was as if the disappearance of that blasted Anla'Shok had sucked the life out of him. Surely there must be something else bothering him? She refused to believe a simple infatuation could drive him this far.

But Fara was wrong, it was in fact _all_ that was bothering him, though that's marginalizing the issue.  
It was not _Renati _as a person that bothered him, but the fact that he had been deceived – or had he? He had no proof that she had done what she had with intention.

It was possible she had only recently turned telepathic, or found out herself. It was even possible this was not some elaborate scheme of the Anla'Shok to punish the Warrior Caste for whatever it was they needed punishment for.  
But it was equally possible that all of the above was true.

It was the doubt, the uncertainty, the not knowing that tore him apart. If only she could confirm or deny, it would help him in the process of coping with it all.  
Naroon had dealt with loss before, but it was easier to lose someone to death.  
Now she was still within reach, but out of his power.

There was nothing he could do, he was helpless. She would always be there as a constant reminder of his mistake.  
Losing someone to, well he was not sure how to word it, but losing someone to anything other than death was worse. He realised that now.

Tonight he had promised Fara they would watch the live comedy feed from Master Zaca together in the common room.  
It had been ages since they had done anything together. Actually, it had been ages since Naroon had done anything with anyone of the crew.

Other than completing duty as is required, he disappeared into his room or locked the training grounds to train alone. He had even swapped his shift around so that when he was off-shift, there were barely any others off-shift. That way, he would not disturb them with his private tensions.

On top of all that, he felt stupid. How could he be such an idiot as to fall for a Religious Caste? At least with a Warrior, one knows what's coming. Nothing hidden, no secrets, no mysteries, nothing in shrouds but everything out in the open.

Renati had intoxicated him, it was as simple as that.

"Well that's it! We have another half an hour before the show starts", Fara said perkily at the end of their shift, "Want to grab something to eat?"  
"Sure", Naroon replied, even forcing a smile in order to keep her happy.  
"Great! I hear Tivann has selected Solta Gan spices for this week's dishes", Fara tried cheering up her friend.

The thought of food tasting like home did bring warmth to his heart. Perhaps that was what he needed, a trip home to his sister and his parents…. It would be nice to see them again.

As they walked towards the mess hall, Naroon felt a stinging pain creep up his forehead. Fara noticed his wince and worried: "No sleep again last night?"  
"I'm fine", he ignored her concern, but failed to block the pain entirely.

There was more going on than a simple headache – it was troubling.  
He had not had proper sleep since her disappearance, not because of pondering but because of the nightmares. Dreams of pain, anguish, despair and loneliness filled his nights, but as to why he had no clue.

Perhaps just for tonight he could forget them and enjoy spending some time with his closest friend. For tomorrow would bring more frustration, being the monthly gathering of Shai Alyts.

* * *

Today was the Zha'Marka'ri, the event on all Shai Alyts of the Warrior Caste join in for a sharing of opinion and reports. This meeting holds place monthly, or rather nial'rilz-ly. A nial'rilz is a period of 3 times eleven days – thus comparable to our months.  
Every Shai Alyt that can be present ventures to the predefined meeting point, the others join in through holo-projection.

The main idea of the gathering is to ensure constant awareness of the Minbari fleet. Everyone has to have a global idea of what is going on in other sectors than his own. It is the Minbari's belief that this method improves the system's defence as well as internal communications. However, that last part is not always a given.

Many Shai Alyts use it to vent their frustrations at one another, one more subtle than the next. Today it was Naroon who took a step forward in the circle of the physically present.  
He pleaded the case that once again the Religious Caste has kicked the shins of the Warrior Caste.  
Though his case appeared to many as familiar, his description of the facts was so vague that War Leader Branmer enquired further.

"And who is this Warrior Caste are referring to?"  
"Anla'Shok Renati, of the First Fane of Chu'Domo", Naroon replied.  
"Anla'Shok? Chu'Domo? Where is the violation against the Warrior Caste in this?", Shai Alyt Shakiri roared his voice through the room. Even though he was on holo-projection, he remained impressively present – as always.

"It is not the person my plead is concerning, but the act itself. At that moment, due to a shortage of crew, the Anla'Shok had joined hands with my crew in order to ensure the safety of the Telepath Order. Renati was one of my soldiers at that time", Naroon explained further.  
"Her descent does not matter, she could have been Worker for all I care. The issue remains the same. Once again the Religious Caste took a decision and left us with no say in it.  
The conflict between our Castes is growing, we have all felt it this last cycle", he continued and faced certain individuals in the circle.

"Hat Feisal, I need not remind you of the protectorate incident? Or the decision the Religious Caste took regarding those rogue Centauri soldiers, Shai Alyt Sedain? Or the decision of using the new fusion cannons meant for our Tigara class ships for their Torotha(1)'s?"  
Every Warrior in the room felt targeted by the Shaibar'nik's statements. The rift between the Castes was growing, it even had tangible consequences nowadays.  
The Moon Shield was right, something needed to be done.

"Indeed there is more commotion than before, but that gives us all the more reason to properly act upon it", the ever diplomatic Branmer spoke.  
"Exactly!", Naroon exclaimed in relief, "We will-"  
"Show them we are the better Caste. That our patience runs deeper and our tolerance higher. We will demonstrate we are worthy", Branmer interrupted Naroon before saying something he would regret.  
"By letting them walk over us? Trampling all over our spine?", he could not help his disappointment.

A comforting smile formed on the War Leader's lips as he tempered the younger soul.  
"No, by forgiving them their narrow visions in certain points.  
Shakiri is correct. She is Anla'Shok and Religious Caste on top of that. We have no jurisdiction over her"  
Naroon wisely held his tongue and accepted defeat, but apparently the discussion was not over. Someone decided to push the limits.

"It's all very touching you would stick out your neck for a loved one", Shakiri snarled a try at the latest rumours, "But is it really worth risking a major conflict? We all know the Shaibar'nik are know for their soft-heartedness, but this is just-"  
"Our compassionate nature is not one to be taken lightly!", the older voice of Myana cut the chafing Warrior's line.  
"It ensures cowardice staying out of our bloodline. Perhaps you should come into consulting Shakiri. We all remember what happened during the Lumati conflict"  
It did not matter that Shakiri's insinuations carried truth. No one mocks a Clan member and gets away with it, be he revered or not.

"We were held back by the War Leader himself!", Shakiri protested, but was met by surprise of Branmer.  
"Am I missing something?"  
"… It's in the past!", Shakiri blurted in an attempt to take the focus off the event. And it was, for a moment, but Naroon was not going to allow the focus getting away from _him_. He would hit him where it hurts.

"Speaking of missing", he spoke up and activated a holo-projection. "What's this?"  
The display showed the destruction of an element with the power of a miniature sun – actually, the miniature sun was generated by it and then self-destructed.  
The circle was in shock.  
"Well Shai Alyt Shakiri, speak up. Or is your inner nature preventing you from doing so?", Myana jabbed through another insult. The sturdy Warrior did no more than grunt, for his next words needed to be weighed carefully.  
"Explain yourself, Shakiri", Branmer stopped the charade. He was not amused.

"Since when is weapons' testing a crime?", he tried playing innocent.  
"Why would you need a weapon with the power to create a miniature sun and make it go nova?", Myana pushed him further.  
"And stick it on someone else's ship", Naroon added.  
It suddenly became clear to Shakiri where this whole operation had gone wrong. Someone in shipping was going to do penance later.

"Not to mention the unauthorized use of it. I'm pretty sure you did not pass this by the Council, for if you had, I believe we would all know of a weapon with this power. Who here knew?", Naroon did not spare his equal.

Shakiri had always been an arrogant Vrak(2), but no one ever had the stomach to stand against him. They all loathed him, but most simply obeyed. Naroon had had enough of his secrets and sneaking around. It was time to debunk his affairs and expose him.

No one replied to Naroon's rhetorical question, but a lot of them looked… displeased at best. Akel was clearly boiling with rage. The Anla'Shok did not know! The shame!  
"Well Shakiri? I believe we are waiting for your answer", Branmer pushed, secretly enjoying the first public downfall of this chesty individual.  
"It is not a weapon by design. It is to assist our troops when they go down to hostile and dark environments. A miniature sun will give them the light they need to secure the planet", Shakiri weaselled without twisting the truth too much.  
"Then why did you call it weapons' testing to begin with?", Branmer rightfully noted.  
"An unfortunate choice of words", Shakiri bailed.

There was not a curve in his bone that believed Shakiri was telling the whole truth, but he saw no reason to accuse him of crime. There is usually more to a case than the first information one obtains. Always investigate further. Rule #23 of tactical deployment.

"In order to prevent any misunderstandings I will send an investigation team to report back on this… phenomenon. I expect none other than your swift and full cooperation, Shakiri", Branmer put the Warrior in his place.  
Shakiri gave no more than an acknowledging grunt. Dismayed by the resistance he had encountered, he switched off his holo-projector and left the meeting early.

That Moon Shield… This is not the last of it!

* * *

Naroon walked through one of the Tiris' hallways on his way back to the bridge. He kept thinking about Akel's comment before he went.  
"Perhaps Shakiri is not what he appears"

Now there was a troubling thought. If he is not Shakiri, then who – or perhaps even what – is he?  
Then again, it was Akel. The one who sees shadows after every corner. She was the pinnacle of paranoia, but given her profession, Naroon didn't blame her. The pouches under her eyes indicated she hadn't had much sleep neither. Perhaps it was a combination of both that caused for her queer statements?

"Long meeting?", the familiar voice of Fara greeted him.  
"You have no idea", Naroon replied, involuntarily wincing. Was that a headache creeping up?  
"Did you confront him?", she asked in anticipation.  
"Did I ever. We haven't heard the last of him Fara, mark my words. He'll be on the lookout for revenge after today's public humiliation", Naroon told, but the expected grin did not come. Instead, his mind focused on that throbbing pain in the front of his lobe.

What was the matter with him? He's a Warrior, perfectly capable of blocking a little headache.  
The more he fought it, the more intense it got, until eventually he let go.

Suddenly a rush of images entered his mind. He saw Akel standing next to another Warrior, from the viewpoint of a child. Next, a very young Varas being pestered by other Religious Castes. Then Anla'Shok Na handing over a ranger pin and finally, himself – smiling.  
Confused he tried to get up when he realised he had dropped to his knees, but as he lifted himself by the aid of Fara, another rush of images attacked him – much more furiously this time.

The images came paired with intense emotions: desertion, solitude, rejection, pain, regret and sorrow. Naroon could not handle the gush of information and dropped again, pressing both temples with his hands.

Too much was coming towards him, it was all too chaotic. He needed structure! He forced himself to focus on a single line of information purging its way into his mind. Though the strain was enormous, he managed at least that.

Then he heard her. Her voice cried out in pain, her eyes cried tears of suffering. There were no words, but none were needed.

_Renati…_

She was in danger. But what had happened? Surely this was not the doing of Minbari telepaths? Fear struck his soul.

_Has she fallen into Enemy hands?_

But then the flow of information ranged over Naroon's limit. The last image he saw before he blacked out was Renati on the floor of a dome shaped room, surrounded by five shades, two standing, three down.  
After that, he passed out.

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Torotha _(Lenn'A)_: Small battle ship mostly used by the Religious Caste. This type of ship can fend off small enemies, but anything higher than a skirmish is out of its league.

(2) - Vrak _(Vik)_: Idiot

* * *

Next chapter: **Pushing the limits**

Coming soon!


	31. Chapter 31: Pushing the limits

**Pushing the limits**

Renati was guided into a room with three cloaked figure standing in a triangle, backed by Master Kadroni, also shroud in grey.  
Discontent filled his face when he sensed the young one's fatigue.

"You have not followed protocol", he reprimanded her.  
"I cannot sleep", came the cold reply.  
"Then we will tire you until you do. Do you accept your trial? Do you understand the consequences?", the Master spoke.  
"I do"  
"Then step into the light and think"

"We will start with a basic exercise: ignoring pain", Kadroni's voice roared through the room when the telepaths concentrated their efforts.  
Renati felt herself becoming light, weightless even. It took a while before she realised she was being levitated, however it did not hurt.

Then it came. A sudden rush of cold showered through her body. Renati clenched into a ball, wincing but holding back a scream. The cold was intense, as if a snow storm was blowing on every inch of her unprotected body. It stung, but it was still bearable.

When she had finally found the balance of shutting out the outside thoughts, they changed from icy cold to blazingly hot. The change in thought pattern threw her off balance and she was back to square one, this time burning in pain.

The fire was merciless, it tore her mind apart. She yelled in agony, but did not give up. She attempted to cast out the fire, but the telepaths inside her mind were too many, too fast.

"Enough", Kadroni released her from the first salvo.

Renati was placed back on the floor, jerking with pain. The problem was that her mind believed her body was on fire. The power of suggestion had been so strong, she had not been able to block it.

"Come on child of Chu'Domo, this is the most basic exercise. You must be able to do this", he talked down to her.  
Renati looked at him with pink hued eyes. The strain of effort had been too much.

Panting and trembling she got up again and faced the telepath council.  
"I will pass", she said determined of heart, but lost of body. She was too tired, there was no way she could pass.

"Very well, prepare for the second test: emotional stress", Kadroni ordered his subjects into the next round of evaluation – or torture as it appeared.

This was a difficult one. She felt the telepaths creeping in her mind, but did not push them out again, that was not the object of the test. It was to fight the emotional stress and false memories they would portray upon her.

Suddenly Renati saw Akel in the room.  
"Akel…", she mouthed.  
"I'm disappointed in you Renati", Akel's words hit her harsh. "You should have told me, I would have saved you. But now, now you have lied to me Renati"  
"I did not lie!"  
"You have lied to us all, deceived us all. How are we to trust you again? How can you live amongst us, knowing you have deceived us?", she condemned her.  
"Stop it! I did not deceive anyone! It was not worth mentioning!", she yelled, but realised this was an image put in her mind.

The telepaths were combining her fears and expectations, creating the perfect emotional ramrod. Of all the memories they could have taken…

"You are not a worthy apprentice", the make-shift Akel said. Even though common sense told Renati this was a trick, she did not have the power to withhold the emotional damage it did.  
The illusion was very real. Her appearance, the sound of her voice, even her walk was the same.  
Renati protested and wailed, but Kadroni did not halt the session. He was going to show her that she needed to live by his rules, there was no other way.

"Push her to the limit. Let's see what she can do, but cautiously. I do not want this one beyond saving", he ordered.

The telepaths went deeper and dug out memories no one should have seen. Events that had occurred in her childhood, pestering by fellow Religious Castes, the coldness of her mother, her father, the first loss of a friend in the war, breaking a Warrior's heart….  
So many emotions they made her relive.

Renati crumbled and sank through her knees, but the telepaths kept her elevated. They were not done with her yet. She may be willing to succumb, but they felt her mind could do more.  
"Continue", Kadroni assured them.

So they did, recalling more memories, both good and bad. It did not matter which they were, as long as they were intense. It's the switching between incredibly good and incredibly bad that strains the mind. Salvo attacks from either side are easily blocked, but a mixture is incredibly tough.

Her mind was a mess. At a certain point she no longer saw the difference between her own and that of the telepaths. She was even broadcasting images at an incredibly powerful rate without realising it. Kadroni pitied the one who would receive the images, for it was only after the first salvo he was able to block it.  
How could his servants have missed that?

There it was: the limit of her powers, Kadroni figured.

Renati's head fell back, her arms lifelessly hanging next to her body. Her eyes looked up but saw nothing but grey. She was reaching the point of exhaustion, the point where she could no more.  
Could she conquer this?

But then something happened.

As Renati drifted between consciousness and darkness, tiny sparks emerged around her hands. At first, the Master did not notice, he was too focused on protecting her mind in case his subjects would accidentally cross the barrier they shouldn't. But then, when it was too late, he yelped for them to take cover.

A stroke of blue light emerged from the fingertips of both hands and hit the three nearest telepaths. Renati's eyes flashed blue before she dropped to the ground, going black.

Kadroni got up and stood in shock. What had just happened? No Minbari could do that. Impossible, it was a power long – it could not be!

He walked over to the victim, but she was responseless. Still alive, but no longer on this plane.

_What is the meaning of this?_

He tried waking her up by entering her mind, but something was blocking him from sliding through. Something…. Something from outside!

He snapped out of his telepathic trance and beheld the Vorlon that stood before him. The creature was not bothered that the Minbari wondered about what part of thin air he had appeared from.  
He brushed him aside with a word: "Move"

Grand Master Kadroni did as the mighty entity commanded him, but was befuddled.  
"I do not understand!", he said when the blue hued Vorlon lifted her body without touch.  
"Understanding is not required, only obedience", the wise one replied.  
"But she needs to finish the trials like everyone else!", he protested against better judgement.  
"She is mine now"

It was not as if one could argue with a Vorlon. Even the mighty Kadroni knew when he had met his match.  
"As you wish, Great One", he succumbed to his almighty master. Kadroni watched powerless as the Vorlon took the young telepath with him into his ship and flew off.

Anger and envy befell him. Of all people, why her?

Why not him?

* * *

The sharp face of Fara came into focus when he came by. She was standing by his bed, holding on to his hand.  
"What happened?", Naroon managed. He looked down and saw no damage, so it couldn't have been an attack on the ship.

"You passed out in the hallway. You just dropped", she said, slightly frightened.  
"What else?", Naroon knew his second. She was holding something back.  
"You've been talking in your sleep", she said with a hint of remorse.  
"What have I been telling you?", the hurt Warrior joked.  
"Renati", she replied grimly.

"What about her?", he tried replying casually.  
"You've been crying out for the last five days about her being in danger and ordering us to save her"  
"In my sleep?"  
"Yes"

Fara handed him a glass of water and continued. "Considering the recent revelation of her telepathic powers, I found it logical to do some more research on her whereabouts"  
"She was taken by Master Kadroni, I think it's safe to assume she's in Dianor"  
"She was"  
"She's been released?", Naroon wondered, not sure if he felt rejoice or remorse on the matter.

She had still hurt him more than anyone else ever had, but he could not help caring for her still. Yes, they could never be, he was slowly coming to the realisation of that, but that did not mean he wanted for harm to come to her.  
"Not as such. She escaped", Fara spoke.  
"She escaped from Dianor? You make it sound as if it is a prison"  
"It probably was to her", Fara said, for the first time showing any remote emotion on the subject of Renati.

"How did she outsmart an island full of telepaths?"  
"She had help"  
"Help?"

Who in the world could assist her?

"From a Vorlon"  
Naroon chocked on his drink, coughing it all out. "A Vorlon?", he hoarsed.  
"A Vorlon 'set her free', is the official statement. Plain abduction if you ask me", she replied cynically.  
"Why would they abduct an Anla'Shok? Or anyone for that matter?"  
"I have no idea, but if she's in Vorlon space, that explains what happened to you"

Naroon kept his lips sealed on what he had seen. He was not sure what to make of it. Were the images she sent something directed solely at him? Did she still care?  
Or had she just randomly broadcasted it to people she knew?

Again, doubt tore him apart. Part of him wished he had never encountered her in the first place.  
Life would have been much simpler, but less interesting of course.

* * *

Once released from sick bay, he returned to his quarters to rest. Fara had arranged for his next four shifts to be taken over, so he could recover properly. There had been no arguing against it.

Naroon stood in his kitchen, still dazed. He poured himself a cold glass of water and enjoyed the touch of freshness on his lips.  
With a sigh he slid down the wall onto the floor and rested his bone crest backwards. The wall prevented him from moving his head back as far as he wanted. Another thing to irritate him.

He put the cup of water beside him and took a long deep breath.

Telepaths, Anla'Shok, Vorlon...  
_I hate Vorlons_

As if his grief hadn't been bad enough, the female he once loved was now captured by an _enemy_ he could not defeat. His logic reasoned he should at least try to save her, there was no reason for her to befall such an ill fate, but his heart cried in pain.

_Let her suffer like I do. _

The Warrior was shocked at his own thoughts. What _did_ he want? Was he still in love with her? Clearly.  
But did he want her back? Did he want another chance at their union? Could he trust her again?

He could not answer any of the questions honestly. He did not know what he wanted, he only knew what he felt. He rested his head against his one knee that was lifted, the other leg lay large on the floor.  
He wrapped his arms around his knee and hid his face behind them.

A wince formed on the mighty Shai Alyt's face. The mighty Warrior that had now been reduced to a pile of misery on the floor of his own kitchen.

The noise in his head kept buzzing along with the clashing possibilities for decisions.

What was he to do? They're Vorlon.

* * *

Next chapter: **More Minbari secrets**

Coming soon!


	32. Chapter 32: More Minbari secrets

**More Minbari secrets**

"Hiai'sa.. Nishar, how can I help you", Naroon addressed the young Minbari on the holo-projection in front of him.  
"Shai Alyt Naroon, I come to you carrying orders for a transfer of Kalek ra Fe'Endumar(1)", the Warrior of Kalek's Clan spoke.  
"A transfer?"  
"Yes... I have sent you the file containing the order. We will meet at the rendezvous point – if of course you comply with the orders.  
Once done, we can put everything behind us and forget this _incident_ ever happened", the Hiai'sa quickly added.

Naroon squinted an eye to his lip in reflex, but quickly hid his surprise.  
"I will see you there, Hiai'sa"  
Naroon frowned with a light grin, wondering what silly endeavours the Night Walkers were up to this time.

"The file is encrypted, Shai Alyt", Suveni added to the mystery.  
"Encrypted?"  
"Shai Alyt only", Suveni mentioned and paused, "It was signed by a fellow Shai Alyt"

Naroon suddenly flashed his eyes at his subordinate. "Kor, delete my algorithm from your console at once!"  
The old man winced. Blast! He had said too much. He would not have been able to know the sender were he not to have the key to decrypt the message.  
"And the backup", Naroon ensured, yet seemed more amused than agitated.

"My apologies Shai Alyt", Suveni weaselled.  
"Transfer the file to council room 3", he ordered.

"Oh and Suveni, when you get the next one, do tell me. That way I know your level of a challenge", he smirked.  
"Much obliged Shai Alyt", the old man smiled. Naroon never disappointed.

* * *

Shai Alyt encrypted files? What was this about?  
Could it be...

No, probably not. If it were about her, it would be an Anla'Shok message and Varas would've hacked out any obstructions for him.

There had been no word from either of them.  
He wondered how Varas was holding up, probably throwing herself at more work trying to forget. What else was she to do?

He didn't mind this distraction coming in. It would take his mind back to what matters: the Warrior Caste and protecting the Minbari people. He can't do that with half of it devoted to another.

Two more months had passed since Renati's _abduction_. Naroon had tried contacting ships near the border of Vorlon space for information, but no one had seen a thing. He was starting to think she was not coming back, taking his distance again. It was a painful process, but a necessary one.

"Display file", he commanded the console.  
However, when Naroon witnessed the contents, his stomach turned.  
"_Alyt_ to conference room 3, now!"

* * *

"Have I insulted you in a way even Valen could not forgive?", Naroon addressed Fara sharply as soon as the door closed behind her.  
With eyes of a creature accused of a crime she did not commit, she searched his for meaning.  
"Spat in your face perhaps?"  
"No...", she replied hesitantly.

He based his head and let out a big sigh. While pacing around her, he gave her the third degree.  
"You have two options: either you find your own ship to command and get off mine – or, you try to explain this to me, to a level where I can understand what and why so we are still able to work with each other on a daily basis"  
"Naroon, I-.", Fara protested but was immediately cut off.  
"Shai Alyt! _Today_ I am Shai Alyt!"

Mystified, Fara swirled over the crystals to display the file. She held her breath and sank further into the deck with every word read.  
"By the order of.. Sh...Shaki..ri?", she mumbled.

It took her some time to let everything sink in. Apparently, Kalek – the Night Walker that had been transferred to the Tiris, who had suffered an _argument_ with the crew – had not taken Fara's punishment lightly. He had taken it up higher.  
"It goes from physical assault-"  
"Physical assault! I grabbed him by the tunic, my skin never touched his", she protested.  
"- to incarceration", Naroon continued to read off the letter.  
"It's not as if he was locked in his room! Only while on duty", she muttered.

"Forced labour..."

"Adaptive torture"

"And oh, my personal favourite: withholding of food", Naroon stressed.  
"Withholding of food? Finish your work first, then you can eat? That's not withhold-"  
"And the list goes on", he cut her off.

Fara steamed in the corner until she regained her senses.  
"In my defence, these allegations are ridiculous. I have never seen such lose interpretation of words. Not even at a Religious Caste conference... of Elders! Demented Elders!", she cursed for if there were such a thing.

Regardless of what may have brought about the situation, it was nasty. If Naroon didn't comply to the orders, which were to deliver the Night Walker at the rendezvous point and have Fara apologise formally, she would be disciplined by the council.  
It could escalate even further. Worst case scenario would be the Nine getting wind of this and stripping her of rank and duty, considering they take this farce seriously of course.

"In my defence, he just jumped on this. Any other and he wouldn't have given it a thought", Fara plead.  
"The point is that he did Fara. You are both my weakness and my strength. Today Shakiri exploited that weakness"  
Fara sighed.  
"All because I gave him homework… Should've been a Star Rider, we would've had less trouble", she let out against her rivalling Clan.

Naroon did not appreciate her light-hearted handling of the facts. She was avoiding the matter at hand. It was as if the seriousness of the implications was not sinking in.  
"Knock it off Fara! I've had enough of your snite remarks", he barked and approached her.

With one finger on her tunic he threatened: "_You_ will fix this. _You_ will take him to the rendezvous point, hand him over and apologise. Kiss their bones if you have to, I don't care what charade you have to set up, but _you_ will save _our_ honour. I will not let you besmear the reputation of the ship or its Shai Alyt"

The coldness in his eyes did not make way for the expected compassion. Instead, he remained silently persistent. She had crossed the line, and _now_ it was sinking it.

Fara mustered nothing more than a bow and hurried out the room.

* * *

"Volunteers?", a narrow eyed, fire-breathing Fara asked around the training hall. She had just returned from what could be defined as the most humiliating event of a lifetime.  
Apologising to one lower of rank for matters she believed should not be excused, in front of his entire crew….  
Perhaps 'fire-breathing' was an understatement.

Now she was looking to vent. Someone would have to stand up to her and fight, for a dummy would not last long enough.  
But who would be brave enough to face Fara? - _The Fang_.

It was Kujar who got tugged on the tunic when he stepped forward.  
"Are you mad?", Moran insisted for him to reconsider.  
"I have fought her before", he insured his friend.  
"Not in this state! Who knows what the Shai Alyt had her do this time, but I take it from that deadly gaze it was the mother of all times", Moran gulped.  
"Then watch the spectacle in safety up above", Kujar grinned in confidence.

"Alyt", Kujar bowed to his superior.  
Fara flicked her arm guard to open the exotic weapons display and picked a weapon of choice. A Narn Ka'toc would do for the day.  
Kujar took favour in a Centauri fencing sword, but when he saw Fara's choice reconsidered to a Drazi fighting pike. Not as agile as his own Denn'bok, but sturdy enough.

The remaining Warriors in the training ground formed an opening for the two to fight in.

Alyt Fara, 'The Fang', facing Kor Kujar, who would miss that?

Speculation and suggestions already went around before the start of the game. Too bad the Minbari do not gamble, for they would make interesting ones.  
Twelve votes went to Fara, who had grabbed the mobile Narn Ka'toc from Naroon's private collection, while eight backed Kujar, who initially had gone for the elegant Centauri rapier, but after seeing Fara's choice reconsidered for the sturdy Drazi fighting pike.

"Gravity emitters, load 1.5", Fara decided before the battle commenced. Kujar did not show the sudden increase of weight on his shoulders, but stood proudly before the female came slashing at him.

Despite the increased gravity, Fara moved quickly – incredibly quickly. Then again, that was what she stood known for.  
Fara would never beat you with strength or cunning moves, she fought by sheer speed – even exceeding the Shai Alyt's.  
However, her enthusiasm of movement often caused for her to have blind spots, which Kujar would need to optimally abuse today.

From the walkway Moran had an excellent view of the spectacle. The two Warriors were hurling at each other with such bloodlust it was frightening at times. Obviously one was fuelled by anger, but the other… was it pride?  
Kujar's smirk grew larger with every blow he deflected. She was losing concentration – too enraged.

Thwack!  
A cold, hard Drazi pike bruised a delicate cheekbone.  
Stunned at her not having blocked the movement, Kujar hesitated. This hesitation cost him dearly, for Fara did not. Ignoring the throbbing pain on the left side of her face, she dashed onto Kujar and sliced at him from above.

The blade hit the pike, but slid off the edge and into Kujar's side. With a quick reflexive move, he flicked his arm guard blades and shielded his flank with it. The swift flick of his arm grappled the Ka'toc in the hooks, but shattered it.

Kujar winced in pain as he fell back in shock when the tip-less blade pierced his arm. Fara looked in anguish as she could not control the unexpected movement of the weapon and shrieked.

A worried Alyt called for the hela'mer on her arm guard and hurried over to the wounded soldier.  
"It hurts!", Kujar spoke befuddled when she turned his arm.  
"Told you so!", Moran complained from the walkway shaking his head.  
"And it went deep", he squeaked when he took a closer look.

In a whim the hela'mer arrived and tended to the Warrior's wound. Fara stood there, shaken. Not only had she broken one of Naroon's privately collected weapons, but had harmed one of her own.

Kujar did not think so seriously of it. It was an accident, no more. He was even grinning again when he watched her pace off.  
"Tomorrow we rematch?"

* * *

The Moon Shield sat darkly in her sofa, watching whatever it was that was currently displayed in the relaxation library. What _was_ she watching?  
It appeared to be some kind of spelling bee competition, but she knew none of the words.  
_Probably some dialect_, she figured, however could not ignore the frustration the lack of knowledge gave her.  
"Blasted Religious Castes and their dull entertainment", she cursed.

"You know, you do have the liberty to request the Maeryn(2) match from last week", a soft male voice attempted to calm her down.  
True, she could have, but that wasn't the same. Minbari have an entertainment system similar to our television, only… well different actually. The medium is the same, but the content is different. Quite logical, considering they do not live in a commercialised environment such as the Humans.

They have one standard 'channel' on which material is 'aired' that a small group of Religious Castes find relevant for that moment.  
In addition to that one 'live' channel, Minbari have access to the records of all that has ever been recorded. As the whole people are quite fond of recording, that means basically anything from theatrical performances to military trainings. Video on demand, sort of speak.

"I did not dare to risk wishing for the wrong one to win again", she replied grimly. It seemed like everything this week was going against her. Even her relaxation candle had burnt out.  
"Shall I light the other one?", Naroon smiled.

Fara didn't even muster up a reply but relaxed her muscles when she smelled the warm scent of the candle.  
Naroon came to sit next to her on the comfortable triangular sofa and gestured for her to move closer.  
"I'm sorry", she wailed and dug her head into his chest.  
Having expected such an explosive reaction, Naroon closed his arms around her in comfort.  
"It's alright", he hushed her, "It's just not your week"

The advantage of being a Warrior: all emotions are intense, but most are short-lived. It's the long lived ones they have trouble dealing with.  
His anger for Fara had passed the moment she applied her penance, but for her it lingered. The long-lived feeling of guilt or rather impotence gnawed at her.  
Shakiri's injustice had to be punished, one way or the other.

"You know we'll get him back for this. Just give it some time. He's been on high alert since the last council, but it won't last. Eventually he will slack and then we'll strike back"

It was not that she didn't believe his words, they just were no help to her at this time. For this very moment, the future made no difference.  
Fortunately Naroon knew how to play his friend. More soothing words and strokes eventually stopped her from manically squeezing his tunic into wrinkle.

This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Two days after the _incident_ with the Night Walker Fara enjoyed some time off shift in her quarters. She was constructing the base of a miniature star ship. A Sharoos to be exact, the latest class of Sharlin.

Apparently the crew was not as indifferent about the endeavour as she had initially thought. The gift had been presented with the initials of everyone carved on the ribbon ring. How sweet of them.

A bleep from the console on the wall could not persuade her to drop everything and answer. Once she had put this part in place, she would.

"Father, to what do I owe the joy?", she replied surprised – happy at first, but grim after seeing his expression.  
"I bring you grief, Fara", he spoke darkly.  
"Mother hasn't-"  
"No, your mother is fine. Your Va'malier(3) Tenoval however suffered a different fate", Fara's father spoke with regret of losing his brother.  
"What happened to him?!", she shrieked.  
"That's the problem. They speak of an accident but I cannot access the files"

"You're Master Crafter of Creative Weaponry and Last Journeyman in Experimental Armouring. How can you not have access to the files?", she replied surprised.  
"They are encrypted with a seal... Warrior Caste only"  
"Warrior Caste?", Fara replied. What did Warriors have to do with a Worker Caste accident?  
"Therefore I come to you, Fara. I was hoping that with your Alyt status… or perhaps Naroon could-"  
"I will look into this immediately. You will hear from me when I know more", she switched to battle mode.

Warrior Caste only?  
_What do we have to meddle in their affairs?_

Due to her origin Fara was one of the Warriors who actually respected the Worker Caste instead of treating them like slaves – a policy which was enforced by Naroon on the entire crew. Due to his friendship with Fara, he too was closely involved with the Workers.

Fara was one of those 'accidents' that happen once every so often. Born to a Worker couple, she showed strong preference – and talent – for another Caste at a very young age. She was simply swapped to a Warrior crèche and continued her education there.  
There is no shame in changing the path of life early on. On the contrary it's better than following a path one does not support. Ending up like Renati is not exactly ideal.

Because of this, Fara carries a different regard on society. Despite of what one may think of her, she is quite compassionate.  
But this affair riddled her. What had happened to Va'malier Tenoval?

* * *

Shengol.

Valen's forsaken ice planet. There was not a shred of land on the celestial body, its entire surface was covered in a thick layer of ice. Or several, Varas wasn't sure how deep the ice reached.

She was here on a reconnaissance mission, as she loved that Human term – although she wasn't sure if she was using it correctly. After she had reached the limits of her investigative means, Fara had asked her for a personal favour. There was no reason to disappoint her.

But even Varas could not find all the information she wanted through normal channels – being hacking her way in an out of everything digital. It seemed as if nothing of the event was actually logged. No video files, no machine manuscripts, nothing.  
All she found was that Tenoval was working on a project in a base on Shengol.

There was no other option then to go to the planet herself and investigate hands on.  
_Where are you when I need you_, she cursed her abducted friend when beholding the thick surface of the mighty planet.  
It was not the same to go on dangerous missions by one's self, not nearly exciting enough. She missed Renati's mischief.

There was one other thing to take into account: it is common knowledge that Shengol is used in weapons testing. She prayed she wouldn't fly in the middle of one.

Her nail fighter jettisoned the high power engines that had carried her to the planet, but would pick them up later. A small project of hers, to simplify transportation within the system.  
The engines wrapped around the standard Nial's and acted as sort of a carrier. No Nial energy was used as long as the more powerful engines were connected to it. Of course, this meant it is weakened in agility, but the application is not meant for close encounters.

Another advantage of being befriended with Fara: she can get you parts.

The descent into the atmosphere went smoothly, as expected. The crafts were well resistant against extreme temperatures.

Now to find the base….  
Shengol would not have any visible structures, everything is sub-aquatic. Radar it is then.

When Varas came about the other side of the planet she halted for a brief moment. Her scanner showed massive activity around the jump gate above her. Several ships lay there, inactive at first sight, but all facing the gate.

_What is going on here?_

Afraid to be noticed, she dove further into the atmosphere and scurried across the planet's surface.  
"Vim're!(4)", she smiled when her radar confirmed a base below her. Her light fusion cannon cut a hole through the ice large enough for the ship to dive through.  
"Time to test the aquatic features", she spoke in excitement.  
Not fear, for she knew Workers would never deliver a product without thoroughly testing it. She did not anticipate the possible drama scenarios, but the reaction of the craft under water.  
What could she do with it that she couldn't in the air?

It was slower, but a lot easier to control. Precision fire was child's play, even manually. She loved it.  
Taking several detours for optimal testing of the ship's abilities, Varas eventually arrived at the base where she docked. To her surprise, no one came to meet her in the hangar bay, but then again they were probably otherwise engaged. She set foot on the station and began her investigation.

* * *

_Where is everyone?_  
Varas had been wandering around the station for just over thirty minutes and hadn't found a single soul. Basic applications such as doors were all still operating, so there was no disturbance interfering with the crystals.  
Where had they gone?  
Computers were unmanned, test areas empty, even the recreation sector was dead.  
_Perhaps the Warrior Caste had to evacuate them?  
_But if so, what did they take them away from?  
The Anla'Shok continued her short pace deeper into the complex. When she reached a high-level encrypted door, it took her a moment but she purged through eventually. She hadn't yet met an algorithm she couldn't figure, though she hoped for the challenge to come.  
The corridor she stepped into immediately struck her. The air was heavy and thick, but it was a sense of _wrong_ all over the place that was troubling. She couldn't help it, but shivered when entering.  
Strange…  
There was a pattern on the side of the wall: several crystals had been torn off in a curved line along the wall, connected by the scrapings of what Varas believed to be a sharp object. There was no visible residue of anything else, which rendered her puzzled. The best she could muster was someone dashing away from something, but that did not explain he scrapings.  
Her attention was caught by something. Water dripping?  
She moved to the source of the sound, which came from the other end of a sealed room. There was a thick glass window that allowed viewers to see into it, but the door was shut tight. The crystal wasn't even functioning properly any more, she would have to force it open.  
But after looking inside the room, Varas reconsidered.  
What was that dark red cloud hanging near the ceiling?  
It hung there, coiling around itself as if processing the next or previous step of a process. A few drops fell from it every so often, but dissipated when they hit the floor.  
Instinctively Varas placed a hand against the glass, drawn by it. She caught herself doing so and blinked out of the trance.  
_The recorder, it must be around here somewhere!_ she figured and went looking.  
Indeed, she found a smashed projector-recorder, but an intact data crystal inside. Not without some fiddling Varas managed to get the precious information out of its trap and clicked it in her own data pad.  
"Let's see what happened here", she spoke involuntarily.  
The recording showed a group of Worker Caste scientists working in the lab behind the glass she saw earlier. They were measuring results and calculating around some device that looked familiar but she could not place.  
What struck her more than the device was the _aliens_ working with them. A couple of Lumati and two cat-like creatures, but the size of a Human.  
_Aliens working with Minbari on a project? Wait until the Warrior Caste gets wind of this_, Varas thought, but then her thoughts sunk in. What if they _had_ gotten wind of it?  
Some Clans, especially the Star Riders and Night Walkers were downright racists when it comes to other species. They will go as far as to not use anything that is of alien fabrication and publicly out their discontent.  
The recording continued, showing more details of the device and the scientists collecting more readings. Varas froze the screen and cross-referenced it with items in her personal database – a link between a multiple of networks, not just the Anla'Shok's.

Possible match found. 68 compliance.

Name: Atomic water dispenser

Level: Experimental

Status: Terminated

Description: The atomic water dispenser has been many Worker Caste's bone breaker, as it has been taken up several times before across the past few centuries, but never successfully finished. The device's main purpose is to purify heavily polluted water (mark five) to the degree of it being drinkable for Minbari, but has failed to ever reach production.

The basic principle is to separate the water's matter to an atomic level and tear off the 'dirty' neutrons or protons. After purification, the water molecules are rebuilt with the remaining 'clean' atoms.

The device has had all shapes over its lifespan, from fully crystalline to liquid. Not a single model has been able to create, maintain or control the energy required for this level of manipulation.

Previous experiments have shown results from failure to catastrophe. Known problems are: returning highly poisonous water, secreting only the dirt atoms or evaporation of the shells of any container of a water-based molecule, leaving nothing but the liquid – albeit un-purified.

In 2221 the Oorehak(5) decided to cease all development on this device until Minbari science is ready for it.

Varas hesitated for a moment. Could that have been what they were developing here? Or perhaps they found something else… a different application for it. Could they have turned it into a weapon?  
Intrigued to find out more, she un-paused the recording.  
More details of the research and even some experiments were shown, until suddenly the scene was disturbed. All attention turned towards a visitor, who could not be seen from the lens's view. There wasn't much Varas could derive from the images, aside from there definitely being an argument.  
Who had entered the room?  
_Reflective surfaces… come on, there has to be at least one!_ the computer geek thought to herself and went over the scene frame by frame.  
It took her some scrambling of the image, but eventually Varas managed to pull a lightly deformed reflection of a Minbari off one of the test basins holding water. It was not enough to make out the Minbari's exact facial characteristics, but she _could_ tell it was a Warrior of certain stature. Alyt, perhaps higher, the image was too distorted.  
His suit hued between purple and dark blue, she couldn't tell for sure.  
So they _had_ found out.  
To her surprise the Warrior left the room without further ague. For quite a while everything appeared normal: the experiments continued, reports were made and Varas witnessed a miracle in development.  
The scientists appeared thrilled over the progress they were making, though she couldn't make much of the feline's facial expressions. What were they anyway?  
But then suddenly, the faces looked troubled again – once more facing the door. The Warrior must have returned.  
There appeared to be an argument between one of the Worker Caste and the Warrior, when suddenly the feline creature walked between them in an attempt to interfere. Before Varas realised what happened, the cat-like creature was smeared across the wall by the handout laser of the Warrior.  
Chaos and confusion filled the next few moments of the recording, where there was a lot of scuffling and clutter, but nothing visible enough to distinguish what was going on. Until the Warrior came clearly in view, holding the scientist by the tunic. Varas studied him carefully, his bone, his built, his garment… he was not the same from before. Younger… and lower of rank.  
Then suddenly it happened. The Warrior pushed the Worker aside and headed for the atomic water dispenser, but that was against the will of one of the Lumati.  
He grabbed what appeared to be a laser from below his robe and shot the dispenser. However, it did not crumble… it did much worse than that.  
Due to the overload of energy the device malfunctioned and shot out an energy surge, hitting everything behind the glass.  
Zap…  
Vaporised.  
Varas threw her data pad away when she felt the contents of her stomach climb up her gullet. On her knees from both the effort and the shock, she gasped for air.  
Had she just analysed that correctly? Did that just happen?  
She did not have the courage to look at it again, but yanked her data pad and stumbled off to her Nial fighter.

How was she going to tell Fara this?

* * *

The Nial fighter took a sharp turn out of Shengol's atmosphere in an attempt not to be noticed. Unfortunately, the fleet had dispersed around the planet, so she flew straight into the scanners of a nearby Tinashi battle cruiser.  
As expected, she was hailed to come aboard. There wasn't much fuss about her arrival, a simple escort to the debriefing room sufficed.  
Before she did however, she had hidden the data crystal deep between two ridges of her bone. Normally that was a measure she took only when in enemy territory, but after what she had just seen she didn't want to appear hostile.  
There she was met by three other Warriors, the highest holding the rank of Hiai'sa. All were clad in dark purple garments, equipped in full battle gear.  
"Why did you come here?", the Hiai'sa asked.  
"I had business here", Varas replied.  
"What kind of business?", he insisted. He wasn't exactly friendly.  
"Anla'Shok business. I was not aware that Anla'Shok could no longer freely travel in Minbari space", she bit back.  
"This is a quarantined area", the one to the left on the Hiai'sa clarified.  
"My apologies, I must have missed the beacons", Varas said, no pun intended, though she knew very well there were no beacons.  
"How long have you been on the planet?", they wanted to know.  
"Just in and out. I was testing my Nial fighter's aquatic abilities. I have made some changes to the engines and needed a safe place to test it. Shengol fitted that need as there is nothing else on the planet but water and ice. I had to make sure it works", she explained.  
"What if it didn't?"  
"Then the distress signal would have warned you of my trouble", she replied.  
The Warriors gave each other a gaze, but let out nothing more.  
"Did you enter the base?", the Hiai'sa asked.  
"Which one?", Varas stretched the question hoping there may be others, but unfortunately the Warrior confirmed the base's code number.  
"Yes, I had to. My oxygen supply lowered"  
This is where Varas proved she was Religious. There was only a partial truth in her words, but enough for her not to lie; it all depended on one's point of view. Her oxygen supply did lower, but not below normal consumption. She knew that the Warriors would assume it went below a critical level, but in effect she told no lie. They merely misinterpreted.  
Varas could not see, but the Hiai'sa received a visual message with directed sound. She could only hear what he replied to the face on his arm guard.

"No, it was checked though. It's clean", he spoke. He paused for a moment, until she replied: "As you wish, Shai Alyt"  
He then turned to Varas and commanded her to go, quickly.  
With a pace much faster than usual, she escaped by the skin of her teeth.

* * *

The two Moon Shields sat with their knees elevated, leaning against the wall. Both their faces were filled with disgust, disbelief and more grieving emotions.  
"I wish I hadn't asked", Fara mouthed, while convulsing again. She could not muster the thought, it was tough to process.  
"I can't believe she got out of it", Naroon praised Varas' safety.  
"Do you think it was an accident? Or set to destroy?", she asked Naroon the question to which she didn't want an answer. However, he turned to her and with a determined heart replied: "Do you believe the Worker Caste could work on something so destructive in collaboration with other races on top of it?"  
"..No, you're right. It was probably an accident… "  
"An accident induced by the Night Walkers", he did add.  
"This has Shakiri written all over it", she spat.  
"Careful what you speculate Fara, we don't know that", he cautioned her.  
"Varas' description of the first Warrior to enter the compound resembles him", she tried.  
"That description resembles any Warrior of some age, it may even be a Shaibar'nik given the possible distortion of colour", he stressed.  
"You don't believe that", Fara eyed him.  
"I don't, but I cannot point the finger at Shakiri", Naroon carried disappointment in his voice.  
"My gut tells me he's in on it, one way or the other"  
"But we have no proof, yet", he pondered.  
Fara based her head, fighting the emotions. Somehow he was responsible for the loss of her Va'malier. And even worse, another terrible secret about their society had been unveiled. How many more were there? Was a part of them falling to corruption? Is it possible for a Minbari to be… _evil_?  
Naroon wrapped his arm around the shoulder of his friend in need and hushed her.  
"We will lay low and observe for the moment. I think Shakiri is involved in too much not to slip up. Plus the last meeting has made him nervous, ideal for mistakes", he comforted his friend.  
Or at least, he hoped Shakiri would.

* * *

**Footnotes:**

(1) - ra Fe'Endumar _(Adrenato)_: Of the Night Walkers

(2) - Maeryn _(Adrenato/Vik)_: Minbari equivalent of a horse. A carnivourous nocturnal breed with the same basic anatomy, although bulkier than the average Earth horse (resembling Friesan horse). Instead of having a crest made of hair, theirs consists out of small additional parts of bone coming through the skin along the neckline and at the base of the back.  
Around their ears the bone tends to shape into a spike. The other dubs are usually blunt due to the animal's frequent rolls in the grass / soil as well as their social interaction with one another. They rest their neck on that of another and rub it slightly to show friendship and effection.Their tails however, consist out of hair. They have three, originating from a single spot: the joining of the bottom of the back and top of the thighs.

Maeryn riding is a very popular sport amongst Warriors. There are different disciplines, but most popular is the Fero variant.

(3) - Va'malier _(Adrenato)_: Uncle

(4) - Vim're _(Adrenato)_: Gotcha!

(5) - Oorehak _(Adrenato)_: Worker Caste guild (like the Star RIders are to the Warrior Caste)

* * *

Next chapter: **The inevitable fate of Anla'Shok Na**

Coming soon!!


	33. C33: The inevitable fate of AnlaShok Na

**The inevitable fate of Anla'Shok Na**

Lennon ran out of his study to the landing platform as fast as his legs would carry him. A Vorlon ship had been spotted in orbit and appeared to be headed towards Tuzanor.

Could it be? Would it land?

Lucky for him, he had been working late and was still in his official garment, good enough for a ceremonial welcoming of the mighty mind.

When he arrived on the platform, an impressive light-blue hued ship appeared above the landing platform. During its descent, the darker spots in seemingly random locations on its hull caught Lennon's eye. What a marvel!  
The leader of the Anla'Shok quickly gathered some Worker Caste Anla'Shok to form an improvised honour guard to greet the Vorlon and stood in formation.

Once the ship touched the ground, there was no further sound. For a moment is was as if time stood still.

_Why wasn't he coming out?_

Lennon stared at the ship until his eyes played tricks on him. He saw a bulge slowly push through part of the hull. After blinking to regain focus, his surprise was great: the bulge was still there. Was it… growing?

As it grew larger, it appeared to move – as if being pushed from within.  
Suddenly, a visibly worn Minbari slimed through and dropped to the floor. Without further ague, the Vorlon ship lifted off again and departed for the vastness of space.

Lennon ran over to the clothes-torn and body worn female.  
"Anl..'Sh...k Na", she mouthed with tired eyes before passing out. The aged Religious Caste held the fragile body of his servant close, recovering from the emotion of her return.  
"Renati… we thought…", but joy did not allow the words to pass through.

She was back. The rebel of the Anla'Shok, the one he could always rely on to do the impossible – when teamed up with Varas of course – the one who had even convinced an entire Warrior ship the Enemy is returning.

Renati had returned, but from where?

* * *

Two weeks passed by with no change.

Renati lay in sick bay, hooked up to nothing more than a nutrition machine that was running at low capacity. Physically she appeared fine, in tip top shape actually, but mentally Renati blocked her own consciousness.

Every day she was visited by several Anla'Shok, amongst which Anla'Shok Na – providing he wasn't off world. Varas had abruptly cut off a mission in the Brakiri system, but her return had not met with any protest. Her friend needed her, she would be there in her hour of need.

As the Minbari very strongly believe in the power of mental assistance by loved ones during the recovery of a patient, Varas was granted a special spot in sick bay; comfortable for both her and the medical crew.  
Of course, active as she was, Varas often ended up helping them out, but was never far removed from Renati's side.

She watered Renati's plant and talked her to sleep. Whenever Lennon visited, she would listen to him telling of the adventures some of their friends had written about in their reports, but mostly enjoyed him reciting the latest poems from Renati's favourite author. He did it with such dedication and feeling, Varas could feel the words springing to life.

Akel had not visited – her duties kept her from doing so – but had daily comm. link contact with either Varas or Anla'Shok Na, to see how her 'child' was doing.

Finally the anticipated night came, when Renati awoke from her slumber. Like an arrow being shot from a bow, she sat up. She saw Varas – who _was_ asleep – jump and almost fall off her chair.

Renati had troubles pinning down her location first, but figured she had to be somewhere on Tuzanor. Where else would they take her?  
But there was an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach that bothered her. Something not good, a bad omen.

"Are you alright?", Varas asked, rejoiced but still startled.  
"Anla'Shok Na! He's in danger!", Renati blurted from out of no where and jumped out of bed.  
She hit the floor as fast as she had gotten up, but with the help of Varas dragged her weight forward. Together they sped off towards Anla'Shok Na's living quarters.

As they were on their way, they heard the compound's alarm sound. "Not a minute too soon", Renati outed.  
"How did you know?!", Varas yelped throughout the running.  
"I just felt it"

A little further up, Varas was startled by the noise of fighting. "That way!"  
Down the hallway the twosome noticed some Anla'Shok fighting two hooded figures. The battle was not going well for the Anla'Shok, they had to interfere!

When the hooded figures noticed the approach of the Anla'Shoks' back up, they bailed, but not before each delivering a knock-out blow to their opponents.

Further along the hallway, they founded another wounded Anla'Shok. His body was scarred with a range of small cuts with a black residue inside them.  
Varas dropped to one knee and activated his personal emergency beacon, so the hela'mers would know where to look.  
"Where did they go Koraan?", she asked through whisper.  
The beaten Worker Caste lifted his arm and pointed in the direction of the fugitives, before dropping unconscious.

"There's nothing we can do. Let's continue", Varas urged.  
Renati tried her best to keep up with her friend but was still dazed. Her legs felt heavy and her arms did not want to move. She wasn't even carrying any weapons.  
"Have this", Varas said and passed on her Denn'Bok.  
"I have two life forms rapidly moving towards the mountains, I presume they're the ones we're looking for", Varas concluded during the chase.

Suddenly, she halted, gesturing for Renati to do the same.  
'They should be around here somewhere', her fingers signalled.  
Renati curbed around the corner of another corridor and saw one sneaking off somewhat further up ahead.

The cloaked figure realised his discovery and reached for something in his pocket.  
"By Valen you won't!", she cursed and propelled Varas' Denn'Bok at him.

The pike misses him initially, but due to the dodge the intruder was thrown off his original path and walked straight into one of the crystal formations outside of the Anla'Shok compound. The crystal pierced him through his shoulder, reaching all the way through the back.

As if ignoring the excruciating pain, the creature drew the weapon anyway and shot whomever he had in range. Varas was timely enough to jump sideward, but Renati's reflexes were lacking.  
An electrical surge charred the upper side of her right leg, but did not spread. She shrieked and dropped against the wall for support, but did not falter.  
"Tsi'tak(1)", she cursed as a blue gleam glossed over her eyes momentarily.

Varas did not notice, but the hooded creature did. After losing himself from the crystal,he aimed his long range taser gun again , this time to finish the job.  
But then, his eyes froze with a regard into nothingness. Slowly a drop of blood oozed from the right corner of his mouth down his chin. Like a bag of sand the body collapsed to the ground, Varas jumping away from next to it.

"Are you alright?", she worried. She picked up the gun and then looked at Renati. There was something odd about either, because she shouldn't be standing.  
Nevertheless, Renati managed to approach her friend, albeit with a limp.  
"We move on... we have to know", she spoke.  
Renati picked up Varas' Denn'bok while suturing her wound with the pressure of her hand. It strung, badly. At times like these she wished she had enjoyed a Warrior's training. Ignoring pain can be so convenient...

"There's another!", Varas exclaimed when she saw one more running off into the open fields that lay before the mountains.  
"Be careful, there's two of them!", Renati warned, seeing one more run in the same direction.  
The culprits split up after seeing their pursuers' determination.

"I'll take right, you go left", Renati said and sped up her pace as much as she could. Her body continued working against her.

When she enclosed on him she threw her Denn'Bok with the timer activated at him, but he was running faster than she thought.  
The Denn'Bok activated itself too late and tumbled targetlessly on the ground.  
_Rath!_

In lack of a better solution, Renati leapt forward and landed on the aggressor's back, forcing him onto the ground. He did not go down without struggle, but the Minbari had the advantage of being out of range.

She hit him hard in the back of the neck a couple of times in order to sedate him, then turned him around.  
What kind of creature could invade an Anla'Shok compound with a party of three and commit a crime unnoticed?  
She did not yet know what the nature of the crime was, but her gut feeling already screamed for vengeance.

Before she could take off his hood to reveal his identity, she felt a foot on her chest, violently pushing her off.

Renati flew backwards, landing on her rear. Her attacker drew two swords black as the night and advanced towards her. She would have sworn that beneath the hood there was a smug grin.

Instinctively she reached for her Denn'Bok at her side, but it wasn't there. Renati yelped when the attacker lunged his double bladed attack from above at her. Reflexively she blocked his attack with her arms, but to her surprise felt no pain when the blades hit her – or rather the Denn'Bok.  
Somehow, it had ended up in her hands again, extended itself and had saved her from the loss of her limbs – and possibly more.

Neither Renati nor the attacker were concerned about how she had blocked the attack. They were already sparring another flurry of each other's blows. The speed of the creature's movement was incredible, she could barely keep up. Half the attacks she dodged were sheer luck, the other half skill and soaking.

Determined to end this fight before falling into a puddle of exhaustion, Renati readied her Denn'Bok for a knock-out blow.  
Just as she struck down, a stinging pain in her abdomen struck her. Her Denn'Bok still hit him, albeit on his neck instead of in front where she had intended to hit him.  
Renati dropped to the floor, hearing the satisfying snap of her opponent's vertebrae.

The weight of his assault now fully came through when Renati came down on top of her attacker. The pain was excruciating. It felt as if something was eating through the gaping wound.

She rolled off the body below her and attempted to look at her wound. Garments aside, there was a black puss coiling on top of the blood. When she touched it, it stung her fingers as viciously as it did her wound.

Who were they?  
What kind of weapons were they using?  
What was the blackness?

The Anla'Shok did not have time for further contemplation; she needed to stop this infection – this poison.  
There was no other option than to bleed it out.

Pushing both ends of the wound with her fingers, she moved across until she got all of the black puss out, along with cries of agony of course. The process wasn't exactly pleasant.  
Renati fought not to pass out from the pain. Getting up was not an option, it was too straining. She had been taken out.

The Anla'Shok activated her personal distress signal. All she could do now was lie there and hope Varas hadn't gone off too far.  
Eventually, she passed out.

* * *

"Renati, Renati! Wake up", Varas' voice came down from above.  
She applied some Nafak'Cha'nyat(2) to Renati's lips to wake her up. Her partner jolted upwards, winced in pain and gasped for air.  
"Calm down, it's me", she assured her friend and tended to the wound.  
"It's not as bad as I feared", Varas said to herself more than to Renati.

What did she mean _it's not as bad as she had feared_? He had scorched her thigh and cut part of her side open – it was agonising!  
Just look at it! It was gaping open and – wait a second, what happened?

Renati managed to sit up and look down at her wound. Part of the surrounding skin was already covering it up again, it had lost a quarter in size.  
What was the meaning of this? Surely the wound was bigger before, she was certain of it.

"Where did yours go?", Varas wondered.  
"He's right ther-"

But he wasn't. The foul creature had gotten away. How was that possible? Hadn't she broken his neck?

"Never mine, I caught mine - eventually", she pointed at the unconscious bloody pile of meat up ahead.  
"We should bring him back for questioning. Can you walk?"  
Varas was oblivious to Renati's inner struggle and continued her story.  
"Let's hope mine's not getting any reinforcements. Who are they anyway?", Renati wondered.  
"Let's find out"

Varas moved to her crippled attacker and removed his hood. Terror overcame both females at the sight of their enemy.

His face was Humanoid, with dark purple to black veins running through his skin. Those in his neck were visibly throbbing in pain. His eyes had irises dark as ink, hiding the otherwise visible separation between iris and pupil.

But it was not the darkness that shocked the twosome. It was the large, though somewhat decayed, bone on the back of his head that sent them into shock.

This cannot be. He cannot be one of us. It is not possible!

* * *

When Renati and Varas entered the Anla'Shok sick bay, they were one of many in need of assistance. Hela'mers and their assisting staff were running around the place like ants over a sugar cube.

Though Renati was in need of healing herself, she sensed there was a greater loss menacing the Anla'Shok.  
"Anla'Shok Na!", she exclaimed and walked over to one of the operating rooms.

Lennon lay on a table, being treated by two hela'mers who were fighting to save their mighty leader's life.  
"What happened?!", Varas panicked at Rathenn, Lennon's advisor and Satai of the Religious Caste.

"Three dark figures have entered Anla'Shok Na's quarters and assaulted him. The strike of their blades would have killed him, had we not intervened.  
Unfortunately we were too busy trying to save our leader that we paid no heed to the attackers. They got away", his voice carried sorrow.  
Anyone could see Rathenn had already made up his mind about Lennon – he would not make it.

"Not exactly", Varas said and motioned for him to come closer.  
Renati left the explanation of events to her friend and entered the operating room. It was not something she would normally do, she did not want to interrupt the hela'mers in their hour of need, but something drew her in.

The atmosphere inside was chaotic. The healers couldn't agree on which procedure to follow. Through the discussions, one of them noticed Renati and spoke up with irritation in his voice: "You are not allowed in here, we are still operating! Please vacate the room"  
"I need to speak with him", she said and walked over to the table as if hypnotised by the scene.  
"Anla'Shok Na is not in a position to speak right now. You need to wait outside until we are finished!", the other snapped while reaching for another tool to stop the bleeding.

"Tannier, he is losing too much blood. He's going to perish if we don't act", his colleague warned him.  
"Renati, get out. We don't have the time for this!"

"RE..ati", Lennon coughed up some blood when he realised who was in the room.  
The Anla'Shok ignored the order of the hela'mer and rushed to the side of her Master.  
"Anla'Shok Na...", she gasped.

It was not looking good indeed. His entire chest was covered in a mixture of red and black. The assaulters had apparently struck him through the chest, just off his heart, but the poison had already worked its way in. No matter how hard the hela'mers tried, it was no avail. The poison was consuming him and he would succumb sooner or later.

The old man turned his head as far as he could and addressed the young one.  
"Ren..ti.. remember... t..e Humans ..re the key.."

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Tsi'rak _(Vik)_: Literally 'evil person I wish to harm'. TheMinbari alternative for bastard, as they have no 'swear words'

(2) - Nafak'Cha'nyat _(Adrenato)_: Literally translates to 'rebirth beverage', the Minbari equivalent of quick salt. It comes in liquid form and is applied to the lips. The sharp taste of the beverage jolts the Minbari's consciousness back if he is not too far out

* * *

Next Chapter: **Debunking the enemy**


	34. Chapter 34: Debunking the Enemy

**Debunking the enemy**

The city mourned for the loss of their great leader. Anla'Shok Na Lennon had survived many prickly situations before, but apparently the universe had another task for him. His soul had been set free and reunited with the others only to be reborn again partially or in full.

A man to whom many had looked up to their entire lives had passed beyond the veil, his absence would be greatly felt.  
Varas was shocked at the sudden nature of the event. One moment she was in sick bay with Renati, the next she was looking at the wounded body of her leader.  
Her mind had not yet processed the loss, which came as a blessing of sorts: it enabled her to function normally in this time of distress.

Rathenn walked up to the twosome, face blank as always.  
"I will make preparations for the ceremony, but I need you two to do your job. Get me whoever is responsible for this! His death will not go unavenged", he ordered them as Satai.  
"We already have", Varas spoke and led Rathenn to the room where they were holding the perpetrator.

His wounds had been tended to by the hela'mer, just enough to keep him alive. Normally they would also release him of pain, but Renati had ordered the hela'mer not to. His crime was too grave for him not to suffer. Especially considering his...origin.

"I warn you Satai Rathenn, the knowledge you will obtain may be of such a nature you'll wish you never had", Varas urged, but the Satai ignored it.  
She removed the hood of the cloaked figure, revealing his humanoid face and darkened Minbari bone crest.

The matter of the crest was the same, plain and simple bone, but the colour was different. It was a dark, murky grey, almost black. It was not as sturdy as Minbari head bones, more decayed.

Renati noticed the dismay on the Satai's face when he saw the bone.  
"This is not possible", he spat, "He cannot be one of us! This is some elaborate form of deceit!"  
He pivoted on his heel, facing away from the foul beast in the corner.

"I want you to get to the bottom of this, now. Bring me the full story... and their heads!"

Neither Anla'Shok had ever seen Rathenn carry such bloodlust. Actually, they had never seen him carry any. He was ever the pacifist, looking for a diplomatic solution in everything.

But this had gone too far.

If the Minbari people started to harm their own again, they would be no better than the other races. They would step back a thousand years in evolution.  
Just the thought of it angered the Satai.

He sped out of the room, leaving the two to their own device.  
"Where do we even start?", Renati uttered, unable to see the wood for the trees.  
"Perhaps their weapon will give us a lead"

Varas walked over to the bound specimen and removed the blade from his side. When she unsheathed it to look at its design, Renati dropped to the floor in pain.  
"In Valen's name, sheathe it!", she cried in anguish.  
"What is it?", Varas wondered, clicking it back into place.  
"It... It screams"  
"It…screams? What does it say?", Varas answered in disgust. What kind of a sword could scream?

"It doesn't say anything specific. It broadcasts the feeling of hunger though sound. It's an awful feeling and an awful sound for that matter. Please don't do that again", Renati panted, feeling as if she had just been mentally raped.

Varas eyed his body, tilting her head in contemplation.  
"Step back, I want to test something"  
She lifted her arm guard to the level of his thigh and fired. The muffled creature groaned and jerked, but offered no resistance.  
Varas kneed down to take a better look at what happened. The black coiled around the wound and quickly covered it, growing into a thick protective crust.  
"By the Ancients, they heal"

The twosome stood frozen in the room for a moment, letting it all sink in. Minbari like creatures that have a black substance which heals them? Surely someone was playing tricks on them.

"I have to know", Renati mouthed and stepped up closer. She hovered her hand above his forehead, but did not touch him. The darkness repulsed her, nothing good could come from touching him.

His mind was as dark as his appearance. Seas of mercury shielded her from any memories he may have.  
Was it in fact a living being? Was it not some type of advanced artificial intelligence?  
Does an AI have a mind to penetrate?

Suddenly she saw a memory flashing by. Varas was questioning him in an attempt to bring up any thoughts, any at all.  
Renati grabbed a hold of it and saw an old design of a Minbari ship, one that had not been used since the last Shadow War. But then, he pushed her out.

Renati did not yield that easily and tried forcing her way back in his mind, but was met by the same terrible scream as before.  
"Aah!", she dropped to the floor. "You foul being!"

She pressed her temples to suppress the pain and realised the risk she had taken. She had entered an alien mind with no protection, no backup.  
Even though her telepathic ability was stronger than before, she was not up to the task.  
No, for this mission she required assistance. The assistance of one who had much more experience with any minds than her – one who was the greatest amongst telepaths.

She would have to ask the help of Grand Master Kadroni.

* * *

"You! You have some nerve!", Grand Master Kadroni exclaimed when he saw Renati on the other side of the comm. link. Disobedient, evasive and now back without returning to the Order?  
"You have no idea of the amount of nerve I have", Renati said with an unexpected source of self-confidence.  
"You will return to Dianor at once and complete your training!", he scoffed.  
"I have been taken care of by the Vorlon, my gift will develop at its own pace", she said, not entirely sure if that was true.

She only remembered parts of her visit to the Vorlon home world, but that was probably their intention. She guessed that in time, she would be able to unlock the other memories, but proper right and powers must be obtained first.  
They _had_ done something to her – that she knew for sure, but as to what, Renati had no clue.

"What is it you seek? The pleasure of rubbing in your escape?", he nosed again.  
"Actually, I require your help"

Master Kadroni did not see the humour, if any was intended, but as Renati gave no hint of tease, he assumed her proposition was a serious one.  
"_You_ require _my _help? Of all telepaths, you need me?"

Unfortunately for both, such was the case.

"And I need your word in a vow of silence you will never speak of the events you have witnessed", she added to the mystery.  
Kadroni was all at sea. She wanted his help shroud in secrecy? What in Valen's name was she involved in now?

"And you expect me to help you based on what reason exactly?", he taunted her.  
"Based on the fact that you are the Master of Masters in telepathy and there is no other who can take on a task of this magnitude. Your honourable soul will not let such an opportunity slip by"

There she hit bull's eye. Kadroni's honour – or ego, depends from your point of view – would not allow his refusal, regardless of who came with the proposition. If you knew how to play him right, he was not at all a bad person.

"Please come to Tuzanor at once", Renati said and cut communications. Not in over-confidence, but because she really didn't want to know what his answer would be. This way, she left him no choice.

* * *

"Master Kadroni, I am relieved to see you accepted my offer"  
The Master stood shaken in his feet. He hadn't even sensed her entering the room! What on Minbar was going on here?

"What is this mysterious task you require my assistance for?", he tried to hide his discomfort.  
"We have a creature in confinement whose mind is unsafe. Nevertheless, it is vital that I obtain all possible information from him", she explained.  
"Why?"

Renati hesitated to reply. She didn't want Kadroni to know too much. The more he knew, the more dangerous he was.  
"If you want my help, that's the price. I want to know why"

Of course, that was a very convincing argument. She caved as rebellion could only go so far. If she didn't give him what he wanted now, she would never be able to rely on his help again. At least now he would see she trusts him with a dark secret.

"A great tragedy has happened", she said, "Anla'Shok Na has been murdered"  
"Murdered?"  
"By one.. similar to us", she hated to admit. "I need to find out exactly _how_ similar"  
"Similar?"  
"I will allow you to make your own judgement", she said and lead him into another room.

Kadroni was overcome by the sense of hatred the creature was emitting, but smacked it back towards him. Agitated for having been caught off guard twice today, he approached it, ready to dive in.  
"Grand Master, don't!", Renati protested. "His mind is a dark one, a dangerous one. You will need a guide, or rather, I will"

"You went inside already? Have you learned nothing at all?!"  
Naturally, this vexed him even more, but Renati paid no heed to his frustration. He could bicker and batter all he wanted later on, but for now she needed his help.

"I need to know what he is, where he came from and why he assassinated Anla'Shok Na. Anything else that comes between that is extra", she explained the mission.  
"Are you up to the challenge, Grand Master?", she played him.

"We will need proper preparation for this, our minds will need to get accustomed to each other. How long does he have?", the Master wondered.  
"We do not know. We only know they heal their wounds. Whether it is on the surface or fully, we cannot tell'  
"Then we will do this as quickly as we can"

* * *

The two telepaths took place in a small mediation room not far from the holding room. Legs crossed, Master Kadroni put his staff between them, holding it still.

"We will need to be perfectly attuned", he explained, "If I am to be your fallback, we will need to be of exactly the same capacity and on the same level"

It pierced his pride more than Renati knew to say the following, but nevertheless he did: "You will need to come down"

He had sensed it the minute she was with him again. The Vorlons had changed her, amplified her. Her ability was much more than it was before, but it lay dormant. Why?  
And if they have changed that, what else did they change?

"Wouldn't it be simpler for you to come up?", Renati said with a wry smile, but her humour was not accepted. Before agitating him even further, she formally apologised and returned to seriousness.

"Follow my example", he commanded her, closing his eyes. Renati wrapped her fingers around the staff and followed.

The two minds focused on finding the perfect balance of connecting with one another. A balance where there was no blockade for the other, but no clear passageway for outsiders neither.  
If anyone would be watching, they would be entranced by the powers being conveyed through the crystal in the staff.  
It glew first dark red, then orange, to yellow and finally to light blue.

The Master lifted his lids once he had found the proper connection. He urged for the younger telepath to do the same and explained:

_As long as the crystal shines this blue, we are attuned. You must focus on keeping it this blue at all times. _

_Remember this feeling, remember the path you took to get here. _  
_If you fail to keep it this colour, you will be forever lost in his mind. Even I will not be able to retrieve you. _

Renati nodded. This was going to be the worst mind purge in the history of... her mind.

* * *

_Have you ever been in an alien mind before? Aside from your adventurous trip into this one's, of course_ The Grand Master asked her.  
He did not bother to speak anymore. Now that she had learned basic control of her ability, she would respect basic communication amongst telepaths.

_Only once_

_What species was it?_  
_It was a Drazi, _Renati said, leaving out the bit where she cooked his mind from the inside.

_A Drazi, good. That's a very numbing experience. Focus on the numbness. It's better to change a mind into something you know, than to plunge into the unknown - again. _  
He could not refrain from putting her in her place. Idle hope told him he could teach her responsibility.

_Step by step, just like we practiced_

Master Kadroni's staff glew a dark red when Renati held it at first. The joint effort of their minds quickly turned it to the light blue they needed. The telepaths were ready for the purge.

Kadroni now acted as Renati's backup, which encompassed that he had a second sight – he could see the events through Renati's mind as she progressed into the alien thoughts – but also was her sole chance of safe retreat.

The task of the companion telepath lay much harder than the assaulting one. Hence her need of the Grand Master's talents. This was one mission she could not risk to end badly.

They saw the celestial representatives of one another: great beings of light with tendrils coming out of them.  
They turned their attention to the creature, which they saw as a black cloud.

Renati touched it with one of her tendrils in an attempt to vanquish the covering cloud.

She felt hatred, fear, anger and agony being channelled towards her but managed to block these initial barriers very well. Feelings of the same nature were easier to be blocked indeed.

With the support of Kadroni's guidance, she purged through. Beyond the smoke was a dark mass, a blob if you will, of darkness.  
There was no clear point of entry, so Renati decided to go about this the Warrior way.

Simultaneously, she stuck four of her tendrils in the mass, again having horror and suffering being catapulted towards her.

_Focus_, Kadroni warned her as he deflected the first salvo for her. The further she would venture inwards however, the more she would be out of reach. He hoped she could handle it.

Renati focused on the numbness of the Drazi mind and jumped into the blob with that capture.  
Inside, she was greeted by the sea of mercury once again, but this time she did not feel so uncomfortable. In comparison to the sharp and intense previous experience, she now felt as if she was partially deaf.

_Excellent, at least I can look for them now_

Renati moved her celestial tendrils through the mercury–oily substance at her feet, looking for memories. At first, the sea seemed too vast to recover anything lost, but a little encouragement from Kadroni outside the bubble suddenly revealed hope.

Grabbing that one as the path to the others, Renati plunged in and followed the trail. The memories were not in order, but eventually she gathered all she needed.

She saw the attack on Anla'Shok Na from his eyes: how they had infiltrated the compound and cowardly attacked her leader.  
When looking for the why, she came across an image of him and at least a hundred others like him in some kind of a cave.

They were being addressed by what she supposed was their leader in a language she did not understand. He received instructions to eliminate Anla'Shok Na as far as she could tell, but that was all there was to it. He had murdered one of the greatest men in Minbari history _because he was ordered to_.

Just when she had enough of the immoral thoughts, she found something…

A Dark moon not far from the Nocalo system. The moon was so consumed in darkness its whole surface was dark, making it nearly impossible to spot from space.  
She entered their hiding place through a rift in the surface of the moon.

There was a temple , vast and frightening. Giant statues of some unknown species adorned the hall, hideously frightening.

As she progressed deeper, the creature's struggle increased. Renati felt him trying to slip away from her grip. She resisted, but a suddenly a shadowy creature emerged from behind him and lunging its claw at her. Kadroni pulled her back just in time to evade the slash and instantly broke the connection with the mind.

"What was that!", she yelped. Both of them had fallen to the floor in shock.

"You know what you need to know. Your business with this foul creature is over", the Grand Master outed. He got up and walked up to it.

_You will do no more harm_

With the whim of a thought, he crushed its mind into the ever after. He prayed for them to be soulless.

Though she did not know any more of the connection between themselves and these creatures, she now knew what to look for. But the base she had seen was impossible for her to penetrate, even with the help of every single Anla'Shok. The amount of machinery and even skill this required...  
They were not prepared for this kind of endeavour.

No, she needed a team with experience, a party that was built for this sort of endeavour.

She needed the help of the Warrior Caste.

* * *

Next chapter: **Getting help**

Coming very soon!!


	35. Chapter 35: Getting help

**Getting help**

"Approaching craft, please identify before docking", Suveni asked the Nial fighter that was in line with the Tiris' docking bay. They were lying outside Solta Gan, finally on break.

There was no more but a skeleton crew aboard. Most of them had gone down to the planet to greet their family and friends, but the main command had stayed behind. Naroon still had some things to arrange for the post-inspection process, so would go down tomorrow, while Fara's family lived on Tavalan. She could go down to meet old friends, but the urge did not draw her there.  
The rest was there as part of the last emergency crew before the ship was handed over to the Worker Caste for maintenance.

As they were in orbit of home, Suveni was more pressed to follow proper protocol regarding docking ships. What if there were a Master docking? Or another Shai Alyt?  
He would never hear the end of it if the proper welcoming wasn't assembled.

"This is Renati. I need to see the Shai Alyt", she replied as neutral as she could mother.  
"Renati?", the old man shot forward to his crystals, urging them to bring up visual confirmation of that.  
"Weren't you in Vorlon-"  
"Are my whereabouts relevant to my request?", she quickly tagged.  
"N-no, of course not", he hesitated and opened the bay for her.

Incredible! There she was, back from the dead as if nothing had happened. Months of wondering, pondering and contemplating on her. But now she was on his scanners, in the flesh.

She hadn't changed, not one bit. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad. One thing was certain: someone's going to be thrilled…

* * *

"Is there a reason you have called me in the middle of the night out of my training session Suveni? We are in orbit, what could possibly be wrong that you cannot handle yourself?", Fara grunted.  
"We have a visitor"  
The Alyt let her shoulders drop. "Great. Do I need to assemble an honour guard?"  
"Depends, entirely your choice actually", Suveni replied mysteriously.

The twinkle in his eye could not hide his mischief.  
"What are you up to? Who is our guest?", she demanded and walked up to the panel.  
"Anla'Shok Renati", he said quickly before she could discover it herself and deny him the pleasure of surprise.

"Renati? That Religious Caste? Ridiculous, she's in Vorlon space", Fara scoffed.  
"Not anymore"  
The Warrior squinted her eyes at her confrere only to realise he wasn't kidding. She was actually here – on this ship. She was back.

Her veins grew warm with anger, her eyes shot poison.  
"Did she say why she was here?"  
"She wants to see the Shai Alyt"  
"Of course she does", Fara rolled her eyes, but then grinned. "As Alyt, I decide this matter is not important enough to wake up the commander. She can wait until morning"  
Fulfilled with malicious delight, she smirked her way back to the training grounds, off for a long night of secluded practice.

* * *

_He's not even coming to greet me?_ _Not even sending Kujar or Moran? By Valen, I would've accepted Fara as a better sign than this!_

Renati swallowed at the realisation of her welcomeness on the Tiris. She had blown it with them, _badly._  
Nevertheless, she needed his help. There was no one else she could go to.

Determined to get what she wanted, she marched to his quarters. Not without limping slightly from her injury, but that was the last of her concern.  
Every step she took the rage of being discarded grew stronger. It mixed with her frustrations of old – his giving of the order, his not coming for her, their loss of contact.  
How could he do that to her? How could he forget about her?

Yes, she should have told him sooner, but there is nothing that can be done about that now. In the end, he knew. He could have forgiven her and moved on, but no.

When Renati approached the door she waved her hand as to activate the crystals, but instead of warning the inhabitant of a visitor, the door opened. She didn't give it much thought and walked right in.

_Where is he?_

The room was all dark, no signs of life. In all her manic Renati had lost track of time and did not realise she was storming into the Shai Alyt's quarters in the middle of the night.

Hearing the ruckus from a soul moving around his quarters, a sleepy-eyed pyjama-dressed Naroon appeared from the bedroom.  
"What in Valen's name-", but his voice froze when he switched on the lights.  
Renati turned around, hesitated for a moment, but then spontaneously spat out her feelings.

"I can understand that as Anla'Shok I am not important enough for anyone to greet, but as my own person I thought you would at least sent someone to receive me"  
She had to fight the tremble in her voice from taking over. She was both furious and scared. Furious for all of now and all that went before, but dead-scared for his reaction – to the whole.

Naroon forcefully blinked his eyes several times, then grabbed the glass with the crystal liquid that was on the table and sniffed it.

_Hmm water… _

"Renati?", he hesitated when the female in front of him had stopped talking.  
He was not sure what to say. He didn't even know if she was real. Perhaps this was just another dream…

"When did you get onboard?", he tried analysing the situation.  
"Three minutes ago"  
"Then who let you in?", he wondered.  
"No one, the door was unlocked"  
"My door is never unlocked", he assured her.

Whether or not it was, they both knew that was not the issue. Why was she here?  
What should he do?

For months he had been anticipating the event, even giving up hope for it ever happening, but now that it had come he didn't know what to think of it – or what to do.

Was he to hold her? Show her how relieved he is that she's unharmed?  
Or should he give her a good beating for what she had done to him? Let her feel some pain for a change?

Renati could no longer stand the awkwardness and interrupted. "I have a problem"  
Again her voice shook, but this time it required more effort to hold it together.  
"It's Anla'Shok Na, they killed him"  
"Who killed him?", Naroon asked, still letting the statement sink in. The whirlwind of emotions suddenly had to make place for business. Naroon had to become Shai Alyt.  
"That's the problem. They-", but she reconsidered her words.

"I tell you this in confidence, Shai Alyt", she decided not to test her luck and go for the formal approach, "I understand your reluctance but I have no one else to go to. The Anla'Shok would perish if they were to face them"  
"What enemy is powerful enough to assassinate Anla'Shok Na _and_ eradicate the Anla'Shok itself?", Naroon did not like where this was going.  
"They look like us, but they are not us-"

Renati was interrupted by a raised hand of Naroon's. He paced around her, locked the door and opened a shelf in the wall. He took out a device which he placed on the table between them

"You have encountered the Shadowsouled", a voice carrying doom brought her the facts while checking if his jammer was working alright.  
"Shadow-souled?"  
Naroon closed his eyes, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. How did she find out about them? Had she actually caught one of them? Had she fought one?  
No, she wouldn't have survived a fight.

"Did they harm you?", worry overcame him.  
"Yes, but the hela'mers fixed the wounds", she stretched the truth, "I got all of the black out"  
Relief was in his eyes when she spoke. At least there's that.

"Who are they? And why did they come for Anla'Shok Na? More so, why do they look like us?", she demanded to know, but Naroon would only tell her as much as she needed to know.  
"They are a secret order of warriors who have been waging a silent war with our people for the past thousand years. Every so often they resurface and strike in an attempt to weaken our spirit before the final attack"  
"The final attack?"  
"They are… a special type of enemy", Naroon hesitated. He was already telling her more then he wanted.

"How so?"  
"Their armouring and weaponry is… experimental", he explained.  
"Experimental, from what?"

Again, Naroon hesitated. He waged the pros for the contras before telling her more, hoping for the least of consequences.  
"How is your history?"  
"My history? I consider my knowledge to be moderate", she replied puzzled to the awkward question.  
"Do you remember the story of the Dark Knives Clan?"  
"Yes, they were exterminated during the last war with the Ancient Enemy", she recalled.  
"Indeed. But do you know who destroyed them?"

Renati remained quiet. Her initial response would be the Shadows of course, but Naroon's secrecy hinted that was not the case.  
"We did", he answered his own question.  
"We did?", Renati replied in disbelief.  
"It is not something the Warrior Caste is proud of, hence the shrouds. The Dark Knives were a Clan, just like the Star Riders, the Fire Wings, and the rest of us, but during the war the Clan came into a.. _difference of opinion_ with the other clans", he considered his words, "They believed we had to join in with the enemy and pick at the winning side of the battle.  
For their insolence, the Clan was outcast, but… it backfired – put lightly"

Naroon swallowed before he continued: "After their banishment they became even more determined to pursue their point of view and joined forces with the enemy"  
"They were Minbari?", Renati muttered and gasped for air. "I-I killed a Minbari?"  
"You most certainly did not. They are no longer Minbari, have not been many centuries!  
They joined in with the enemy to a level so insanely loyal, that they allowed for their alien technology to modify their bodies, down to the core cells. They became an evil kind of Minbari-Shadow-technological hybrid.

Their weapons are deadly, their armour impenetrable and their wounds heal. They are the worst enemy you can meet in battle", he spoke sorely.  
"So you do believe in the Ancient Enemy", Renati spoke, somewhat relieved.  
"I do not believe, I know. There's a difference", he explained his silence from before.

Naroon was part of the secret organization that worked to keep these _monsters_ in check – the Shadow banes. They ensured none of this got to the public's ear, aside from the select few that needed to be aware of it. Not even every member of the grey council knows about them.  
As Renati had been in contact with one of them, even seen one, she needed to be informed. His words had been justified.

"Renati", he spoke softly while approaching her. "You should abandon your quest for this enemy and leave it to the ones who hunt them. We will take care of it for you"  
She was touched by his care, relieved in a fact that not all that was between them was shattered, but could not overcome her anger. They had murdered her leader, her Master.  
"I will face them myself, it is your decision on how well of a chance I stand to fend them off"

Again, she put him in a difficult position, what an annoying habit of hers. The pursuit of these creatures was not the issue, but Renati accompanying them would be a problem.  
"Where would you go looking for them?", he attempted to discourage her.  
"There is a moon", she commenced and noticed the surprise on the Moon Shield's face, "Its surface is so dark one would fly into it were it not for our scanners redirecting the ship. I believe their main base of operations is there"  
"How do you know this?"  
"I have… seen it", she answered uncomfortably.

Naroon simply averted his eyes, but continued listening.  
"I have seen them gather in some underground complex on that moon"  
"Even if you can give us the location, we still need to assault the base. It will take time to plan and find the proper ship for the assault", he explained.  
"I have just the thing"

* * *

Ninety-six Warriors stood in the docking bay, gawking at the ship they had never seen before. Its design was extraordinary, its hull unseen, even its weapons appeared impressive.

The Enan'Fi lay docked safely in the Mal'ier's docking bay 4 as the pride of the Shai Alyt. When she looked at the impressive troops standing in front of them she smiled inwardly. Naroon, Branmer, Linte, Feisal, Sedain, Vimor, Terez,… All of them had gathered to the request of her apprentice.

From the mass of Warriors, one stepped forward to meet Akel and bowed respectfully.  
"Is this the vessel that will take us in?", the imposing figure asked.  
"Yes, Satai Shakat. Along with the support vessels of course. However, there is one condition", she replied. Although rank did not matter amongst the Banes, Shakat 'lead' the Shadow banes nonetheless on occasions such as these because he is the oldest surviving member.

Shakat's first encounter with a Shadowsouled aged back to the very young lifespan of 24 years. Fortunately, he had fought and lived due to the intervention of one of the Banes. From that moment on, he got absorbed into the community and never let go of it. He was by far the most commemorable and experienced, but surprisingly enough quite timid amongst his own. Perhaps the Banes were the occasional release from his viewing as Satai he desperately craved.

Another enigma that struck the people confronted with him. Why was he Satai? Sure, he makes a fine leader, but there were many things about him – his ideas and philosophies mainly – that directly countered the habits and beliefs of most Satai.  
Shakat had indeed not chosen to be in the Council, he had been asked – by Dukhat. One does not refuse the offering of a leader such as the Great Dukhat. If Dukhat felt his voice was needed in the council, than that is where he would remain, even if he would prefer the unobtrusive life of a title-less Warrior.

The Satai did not appreciate his subordinate's implication of condition, however allowed her the luxury of it.  
"These two Anla'Shok will accompany us. They are a valuable asset to this mission and they are also the ones who encountered the Shadowsouled"

Shakat's nose lifted over Akel's shoulders, pinning the two Minbari behind her.  
"They are bound by secrecy over the existence of the _creatures_", he insisted.  
"As the Banes are bound by the knowledge of existence of this ship", she quickly covered her tracks.

Shakat nodded. For Akel, she was being reasonable. Not that he couldn't handle her, he just preferred not to deal with her too often. Special requests like these which attracted a lot of attention were never in his favour, nevertheless this one was inevitable.

"It is agreed, we shall depart", he spoke with a cold voice and led the 95 other Shadow Banes into the vessels.  
A difficult task lay ahead of him: commanding an army smallest of size, but greatest of cause.

* * *

Next Chapter: **Shadowsouled bloodshed**


	36. Chapter 36: Shadowsouled bloodshed

**Shadowsouled bloodshed**

Before facing the unknown, Renati and Varas were thoroughly briefed on the enemy and their participation in the assault.

As Renati had so persistently refused command over the Enan'Fi, Shakat had mediated for a solution. He understood the young one's need for revenge as well as seeing the advantage of having an Anla'Shok with them to explore the complex, however she was not properly trained. It was a miracle she had survived the first encounter.

"You will be assigned two guardians. Stay with them at all times", he ordered her. Renati took the Satai's judgement without protest for a change.  
Varas would stay on the ship and pilot them out in case of an emergency. There was none other with her level of flying he could miss on the battlefield.

"I want you to remember that these creatures are unlike anything you have encountered before. They are foul and merciless, treat them as such.  
Mind you there are only two ways to kill them: the first is by cutting out their hearts, the second is by means of decapitation. I suggest you opt for the latter.  
Other wounds will injure them, but are not fatal. Remember this when you face them", Shakat urged.  
He saw the silent shock on the servants of Valen's faces and opted for a peace of mind: "They are not Minbari, never mistake them for one"

He was unsure as to whether that helped the cause, but there was no other way of confronting them. They would need to be strong of both body and mind if they are to face the Shadowsouled.

* * *

Darkness.  
There was nothing in sight, not even the planet.

"The scanner says its there", Varas informed a nervous Renati on deck. She waved her hands over the crystals to ensure the hyperspace engines were recharging properly. Vital if they needed to break for an escape.

"Alright, now what?", Varas awaited instructions.  
"Now I will try to see", Renati took advantage of Akel's absence to take in her command position. She placed her hand on the console and felt it sink in the surface lightly. Shock filled her eyes, but the sudden rush of images delayed her reaction.

_Did the ship just do that?! _

Tunnel-vision took her down to the planet's surface, into a crevasse, beyond some dangerous passageways to a hidden port. The platform was large enough for the Enan'Fi to rest on, she would take them there.

A strange cold feeling overcame her when she retracted her hand, however when looking down there was no sign of the impression she had felt.

_My mind's messing with me... _

"Well?", an impatient Varas wondered.  
"Take her down, I'll talk you through it"  
"Can the others follow?", Varas tempered her impulsive friend.  
"Order a transfer to the smaller vessels, then go"

* * *

Without much trouble the Enan'Fi and accompanying ships managed to dodge the base's defences. The feeble display of power lowered Shakat's hope at finding their home base, but then again any victory against this enemy would be a satisfactory one.

It was actually more dangerous to fly between the rifts in the surface, dodging the falling rocks in their descent deeper towards the moon's core, than it was avoiding the defence system. It was almost as if they intended to miss.

Were they walking into a trap?  
What if everything had been planned? The captive after the assault on Anla'Shok Na, what if they had anticipated the Minbari would go into his mind and have planted this image there? Perhaps they were waiting for them on the platform, guns blazing and there wouldn't even be a battle. The Minbari people would lose some of their most prominent leaders... was this a risk worth taking?

Renati had the same worries as many others. Shakat, Branmer, even Akel was unrury.  
It was too late to go back now. Whatever was waiting for them, they would simply have to face it.

Varas had piloted the ship with excellence down the crevasse, but not without the help from Renati who had the annoying tendency to anticipate the falling rocks. Seven out of eleven times, she was right.

_Has she grown?_, Varas wondered while looking at her friend's back standing insilence.  
The silence only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to prepare them for what was to come.

"Let's go"

* * *

Nothing.  
Not a soul on the platform. The Warriors swallowed in anticipation when the landing gear touched the ground.  
Caution was with them when they dispersed in an orderly fashion around the landing platform. Surely, their presence could not have gone unnoticed?

Nevertheless, the expected warm welcome stayed out.  
Communication between the soldiers was restricted to finger speech in order to support stealth.

The clusters of Warriors advanced in synchrony. To Renati, it appeared as if they had fought together so many times that the need for orders had become oblivious, but in fact they were merely following the most basic schematic of Minbari deployment.

'Stay close', Sedain, one of Renati's guardians, ordered her. He gazed at her empty hands and handed her his second sword.  
'May the Fire of Falkor protect you', he gestured and went ahead.  
She was backed by her second guardian, a small but bright-eyed Star Rider who had not introduced himself.  
'Follow', he commanded the Anla'Shok with few regard and deepened into the compound.

The striking place about the structure was the absence of doors. Everything appeared connected to each other through tunnels and hallways. Hallways with walls carved across their lengths in depictions. Some of the stories told parts of what Renati made out to be the history of this... _organism_, but she found little references to her own.  
They must all date post Valen's Shadow war.

The style of the carvings was alien, yet frighteningly familiar. The shapes were curved, but the darkness of the stone gave it an eerie organic look, as if one was walking into the belly of the beast.

Akel shook as a shiver ran down her spine. She shared Renati's opinion about the place: it was evil. Not only the Anla'Shok, but the other Shadow Banes seemed to be taken by the structure's atmosphere as well. There was something about it that weighed down on the soul.  
Though Akel was marching a couple of clusters ahead from Renati, she had her eye on her. Her heart was having second thoughts about bringing along her apprentice, but again it was too late to change the plan.

The army of light slowly advanced further into the compound, which some would refer to as temple from this point. Giant statues in reverence of some insectoid creatures were carved to jump out the walls. Simply frightening.  
Though one could not tell from the looks of the troops' faces. Cold, dead glares were held in their eyes as they purged further.  
Was she the only one _feeling_ it?

Their silent footsteps suddenly came to a halt when they met with a group of Shadowsouled in a clearing, facing away from them in awe of a dark speaker. To their right there was no wall, just the edge of a ravine. One could look all the way up to the surface from the edge through an opening that was large enough to fit a Sharlin.

Shai Alyt Branmer counted roughly a hundred souls.  
'That's one for every one of us. There are too many', he urged Shakat in silence.  
'There are never too many to cut open', Shakat replied rather distastefully, but made his point.

'We should have stuck to bombing beforehand', the tactician advised the Satai while peering at the crowd from behind the curved wall. He prayed they did not notice him, for if they would not have surprise on their side, this would end up in slaughter rather than assault.  
'The decision was taken for a reason. If we bomb it, we may miss out on vital information on the location of other bases. There is no point dwelling on it my friend, let us call to arms', Shakat asked more than he commanded. If he didn't have Branmer's support in this, there would only be half the fight.

The leader of the Wind Swords knew there was no other way. Though he hoped the losses would remain limited, he went against his heart when he ordered the troops forward.

_For you, old friend. Your death will not be unavenged_, he commended Lennon and drew his sword. A light blue shine radiated off the sharp end of the blade, as if extending its edge. When Renati laid her eyes upon it, she heard an irresistible call forward, one the others appeared to share. Without further thought, she followed her guardians.

Silently the Warriors spread across the back of the large room – more of a giant hole carved out of a mountain's wall really – using the darkness of the stones as their shadow. All swords were drawn, but kept their swords hidden under their garments, for one reflection would give away their presence.

Just when they were in position, the one addressing the crowd noticed the commotion int he back.  
"Attack!", a voice cried through the mass and the Warriors dashed forward.

Suddenly the battlefield was illuminated with the glow of blades – illuminating blades. The origin of the Shadow Banes was not without the support for the Vorlon. As a token of their belief in the soldiers, they donated 112 blades carrying Vorlon essence.  
"To fend off the darkness"

And so they did. Whenever a Warrior struck one of their enemies with their Vorlon blade, the wound did not immediately recover. Instead, it burned deeper giving a slight advantage to the blade carriers.

But the Shadowsouled countered with tricks of their own. Ancient Star Rider projectiles covered in the blackness that infects wounds were thrown across the battlefield in an attempt to take out a few random assaulters.

After the initial attack, the mayhem commenced. Not only was the enemy resilient, but for everyone that succumbed, another appeared from the cracks of the walls. They were not like any other enemy the Minbari were used to.  
They did not go down easily like the Humans, were not cowardly when their life was endangered like the Centauri nor made illogical tactical decisions like the Drazi. They even carried more feul in their bodies than a Narn fighting a Centauri for the freedom of his people.

Renati was lost in the swirling of blades, safely sandwiched between her two guardians. Although safe was not how she would describe her situation. She wasn't sure who she feared most: the Shadowsouled or the two Warriors fighting beside her.  
Their regard was so empty, emotionless even. It was as if it didn't matter to them that their friends were falling all around them, they just kept going, kept fighting the incoming wave of fiends.  
Slice after slice, their regard did not change. It remained... blank.

And the slices were many. However possible, the enemy was growing.  
Branmer had seen a hundred originally, but they had fought well beyond that number. How many more were there?

When he looked around him he could not help being struck by demoralisation. Several of the Banes, his comrades, were on their knees, bleeding, or being hauled to the back of the pack. In the far distance he noticed Varas dragging away the wounded with the help of two others. Regardless of her orders of staying on the ship, she had come down to help.

_Bless the Anla'Shok's inventiveness_

Hopefully she would be in time to save most of them from death.  
But so many of them had been struck down. Was it even possible to minimise the casualties?

Renati, miraculously, was still standing. Her strikes did no more than irritate the enemies her guardians were fighting, but at least she sometimes distracted them enough for the Minbari to strike them down. With every slash and spatter of blood the revelation of Varas' and her own slim survival chances in their previous encounter with this species hit her.

_This fight is impossible_, she thought while looking around. Another struck down Warrior was carried to the back.  
Her guardians were too busy fending off the incoming strike of three Shadowsouled soldiers to help pass him on. Renati dropped to the ground and grabbed the Warrior by the tunic, away from the dark blades of the enemy.

"Mo...ve on..", the, apparently female, Warrior coughed.  
Renati wiped some of the blood off her eyes, so the fallen's blurred vision could regain focus. A gaping wound reached from her shoulder to her side, slid across her back.  
"I will turn you over. It will be less painful that way", Renati urged surprisingly calm.

With little help from the female, she turned her on to her abdomen and signalled for the Warrior behind her to help move her to the back of the line. She remained on her knees for an instant, watching the body disappear in the maze of legs, weapons and blood.  
From two rows behind, Naroon gazed down into her eyes. Only for a split second, he could not afford more. She was not cut out for this, there was too much suffering.

"Anla'Shok! Get up and help us!", the voice of her Star Rider guardian lifted her. He was locked in a pushing contest with one of the Shadowsouled. Their blades were pressed together, supported by both opponents' full weight. Their attempt was probably to overthrow the other and move on, but neither was backing down.

Renati was too far behind him to reach the enemy, but saw Sedain, the Fire Wing, interfere after striking down his own darkness.  
"Sedain, no!", she cried witnessing the horror, but to no avail. As Sedain charged the Shadow souled in the side – and effectively breaking the lock – another jumped on top of him, his knife hungry for flesh.  
"Morect va'kaf(1)!", his friend yelled and dashed onto the enemy, transforming the three into an intangible cloud of battle and rage.

Renati stood shaken amongst the others, for a moment unharmed. It appeared as if everything around her stopped when she witnessed that moment, a moment which kept replaying in her mind.  
She had been in battles, she had seen sorrow and grief in the war, but this... this was different. She felt the sorrow of every loss, the pain of every strike, the anger of every kill.  
Blasted darkness! How was she to see through it?

"Renati! Look out!", a voice warned her for the impending doom headed her way.  
One of the creatures frontally came towards her, while another leapt up, ready to hit her from above.  
Desperate to stop both in time, she lunged forward, her sword on one end, her armguard on the other. The speed and force of her thrust allowed her to pierce through the Shadowsouled's chest, forcing him to collapse.

However, with her hands locked in her enemy's gut, she was defenceless for the strike that came from above.  
This was not fair… it wasn't supposed to end yet.  
Not like this.

Overcome by Warrior pride, she faced up and looked her enemy in the eyes, ready to receive her fate.

_May another strike you down_

Right before she closed her eyes a flurry of blue intercepted the darkness coming down.  
A blade of light pierced through its chest and out the back, but a blade of dark came down on the Minbari's shoulder.

With a cry of agony, he fell hard to the ground next to Renati, bleeding in pain. The blade had cut through his shoulder, diagonally outwards to his ribs. His upper arm dripped with a mixture of red and black, coiling for conquest.

"No-", she cried with a muffled breath. Another one had succumbed while trying to save her.  
How many more were going to fall?

"I'm sorry", she cried, but it was only when her tears rolled off his blood smeared face that she recognised the fallen.  
"Naroon!"  
Though her scream was piercing, it did not mount the noise of clashing blades and battle cries. It was only he who heard it.  
She placed her wet hand under his chin, but had to regrip for it slipped off the dark poison all over them.  
"No..", Renati sobbed, "Live! I want you to live!"  
The Shaibar'nik was breathing, but had not the strength to reply. He tried to reach for her, but when the black puss covered his eyes was struck by fear.  
"NO!", she remained there crying, frozen in action. Nothing could be given to reverse this. She would have gladly given her life instead of his, but the decision was made for her.

Not him... the price is too high... not him. Anyone... but not him...

Before she could react, someone jerked on his tunic and dragged him to the back of the line. All around the sense of loss was growing, the agony was greater, the anger larger...

They were losing.  
Renati focussed hard to keep all the emotions of her own in – and the others out.  
So..very..difficult.

It was the voice of just a random Shadow Bane that made her lose it: "What are those?"  
The attention was turned to the ceiling, from whence three... beasts emerged. To the unknowing eye they appeared as giant locusts, their carapaces dripping in black as if just having emerged from a bath of mercury...  
Their giant pincers and red eyes promised bloodshed, but that was before it happened.

"Xodikth(2)!", this time Renati's scream did pierce all. For a moment, the battle stopped – all eyes faced her. She felt the emotional build-up of everything around her as well as something... native. Something inside her was telling her this thing was the spawn of evil, her natural born enemy.

Something told her to attack... to assault it... to kill it!

One of the two insects leapt from the side of the wall towards Branmer, who was fending off an enemy of his own. It flew towards the Minbari from the side, ready to pierce through him with his pincers. Branmer showed no fear and turned towards it after decapitating the Shadowsouled.

Not prepared for the death of either, he stood frozen as he witnessed what happened. The creature was pierced from the side by the arm guards of an Anla'Shok, who continued cutting until it stopped moving.

She stood there, covered in black blood, but it did not effect her. In fact, it was dissipating!  
Branmer squinted his eyes when he noticed a light blue gleam in her eyes. The gleam came and disappeared, reappeared and disappeared again, over and over.  
The stronger the blue radiance became, the faster the blood seemed to run off her body until it was completely gone.

_Who is this?_, Branmer thought both puzzled and frightened.  
Before he could say anything, she sped off into the direction of the other Xodikth. Her arm guards had grown larger through blue extensions of light.  
The creature squealed as the spikes cut through its body, leaving no room for healing. It was as if the touch of blue cut further through it, destroying it from the inside.

The last beast had watched the scene from the ceiling and remained there – upside down and wondering how to kill this prey.  
Renati however gave him no more chance to consider his actions. She ran towards the wall and upwards. Carrying divine speed in her legs, she jumped from side to side with such precision and agility as if she had been taught by a spider.  
With extended frontal blades she purged her armguards in the creature's neck, below the carapace. It screeched and shook, desperately trying to throw her off, but the Warrior covered in blue light remained in place.

The power had overtaken more than just her arms and eyes, her entire body glew. Her face appeared different – alien but with her own facial features, while the bone crest with elongated spikes reminded the crowd that she was Minbari. Only... no longer wholly.

When the creature fell to the ground, Renati spun around just in time not to be hit by it. She landed in front of Branmer and Shakat, who were rendered speechless. In all their lives...

The light dimmed from around her body and finally her eyes. Exhausted, Renati dropped to the ground.  
"Renati!", Akel came crying from the crowd.  
For a moment mayhem returned. Even the remaining Shadowsouled had been quiet during the Anla'Shok's assault, but now was the time for them to strike back.

Their leader, the one Shadowsouled that had done nothing other but watch, finally decided to intervene. Fighting ceased as he lunged at Shakat, who deflected the unexpected blow from behind.

_Cowards!_

The leader of the Shadowsouled stood proud as he saw the Minbari Warrior countering his attack. He had once been Minbari, but his body and soul had been exposed to the Shadows for too long. His head bone was barely recognisable, black veins from his skull continued in it as if mouthing there. His face was sharp and his body carried carapace armour.

An abomination, that's all he was in Shakat's mind. He charged the creature with his sword of light, but it deflected the blow. Soon a sparring match of unseen technique formed between the two of them. They both moved at such speed that even the trained eye could only make out a flurry of black and white moves.

Shakat was giving it all he had. This was the moment he had been waiting for, this is what he had been born for. His soul was destined to be the opponent of this long lost soul and he would finish the job. He ignored his body's signs of exhaustion and continued to fight beyond what he thought was his own capacity.

When the opportunity came, he drew a second blade from his back and struck it towards the creature. It focused all of its attention to block it that it was too late to notice Shakat's Vorlon sword slicing across its chest. The creature fell back, covering the soil in more black blood. Once down it stopped moving, leaving Shakat as the victor of the fight.

He turned around to face the others after a short pause to regain his breath, when the crowd witnessed the creature standing up again. It raised its much too large sword over Shakat's head, striking down.  
As the sword came down, Shakat turned around and saw his doom evaporate in a thousand different pieces.

A large beam of green light shone centimetres from him until the creature was nothing but ashes.  
"Well, at least I killed one", Varas said manning the controls of the Enan'Fi that hovered in the opening in the wall.

* * *

In a dark room somewhere in the universe a resting place that had not been touched for centuries suddenly showed life. As the lid scraped slowly off the chest, a dark figure arose.

_So another has returned…. _

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Morect va'kaf _(Vik)_: Evil begone!

(2) - Xodikth _(Vorlon)_: Shadow critters. Originally a species called the Ox, the Shadows colonised their planet in a distant past and converted an entire civilisation of insectoids to assassins. Across the years the necessary 'changes' were applied of course to obtain the perfect killing machine.

* * *

Next chapter: **A gift unasked for**

Coming soon!


	37. Chapter 37: A gift unasked for

**A gift unasked for**

The battle had ended, the base had been destroyed and they had escaped. It was finally time to tend to the wounded.  
The crew was scattered across the ships, but the most heavily wounded had their care on the Enan'Fi. Varas had contacted one of the Anla'Shok's hela'mers that was stationed not far from the protectorates – close to where the dark moon once was. He had brought a team of assistants on board the now crowded vessels to ensure proper treatment for all.  
No questions asked of course.

Hat Branmer had specifically asked to be allowed on the Enan'Fi in an attempt to boost the heavily wounded's morale.  
On one of the beds lay Alyt Sarhat of the Star Riders, bleeding from a mortal wound. The hela'mer shook his head powerlessly at Branmer, who faced the Warrior with courage.

"Sarhat, my dear friend. Even though you were too old for this mission, you came along and fought bravely. I personally saw you kill ten of those infernal creatures", Branmer spoke.  
"E-Eleven", Sarhat tried to speak. The War leader smiled at the fighting spirit of his old friend, though it was a smile filled with grief.  
"W-would you..honou.. me with-", Sarhat tried to portray his last wish. He moved the hand that was still clung to his sword, Branmer needed to know no more.

"You will be remembered my friend", he spoke and took a hold the purple-gleaming Vorlon blade. He held the tip against the bottom of his friend's head bone and rested his eyes. With a swift move he cut though, thus granting him a soldier's death. He took Sarhat's hands and folded them on his body, a Star Rider Sularanai (1)in his hands to accompany him for the final journey.

* * *

Sarhat was not the only one suffering. Amongst many other Warriors, there lay an Anla'Shok that hadn't woken for three days. She suffered, but there were no wounds on her – not a single one.  
The hela'mers couldn't make heads of it. It was a complete mystery as to how she hadn't gotten hit.

Or had she?

In Renati's mind there was pain, but her body showed none. How could that be? How could the pain she felt not be there? Her sleep was restless, not thorough, but eventually three days later she woke.

Her blurred vision saw a patch of green, which later focused into a plant.  
_Oh Varas_, she thought endeared.

There was someone beside her bed, but it was not Varas. Though she could not see, she recognised him.  
"Shai Alyt Branmer?", she addressed him with the title he was most comfortable with.  
A smile curled the old man's lips as he came into view.  
"Good morning, Alyt Renati – is it?"  
"Anla'Sh-ok", she replied hoarsely. Her throat ached from three days of sleep, it took a while for everything to reboot.  
"You deny the rank of Alyt? A rank, if my memory serves me well, I personally granted you?"  
"On-ly in the pr-presence of one greater than I", she forced a smile.  
"Hmpf", Branmer smiled at a thought well-protected from Renati.

"How are you feeling?", he tried.  
"Alright actually", she was surprised herself.  
"Good, I see three days of sleep has done you well. Do you have any idea as to why you were not harmed?", he pecked for crumbs of a clue nonetheless.  
"No..", she replied truthfully.  
"That's alright. I think we're all relieved you're alright", he assured her immediately. He did not come here to give her the third degree. Something had happened to this one, but there was little chance she was responsible for it herself. He would investigate further and find out in the end. There was no gain in frightening her.  
"Do you remember what happened?", he wondered.  
"..Yes"  
"Do you know how that happened?", he tried with as few words as possible – ever the diplomat.  
"No.."

The War Leader based his eyes, but smiled comfortingly.  
"We owe you our lives, Anla'Shok Renati"  
She did not respond. There was no answer she could think of that would be an appropriate reply. Silence was the proper refuge right now. She wasn't sure how she felt about the entire episode. She remembered it – bloody well in fact – but the events troubled her. Were those really her doing?

Branmer reached for one of the two blades hanging from the left side of his waist. Carefully he took out the one that shone blue.  
"Courage is rewarded amongst both our Castes, Renati. In my Caste, you will henceforth be known as a Shadow Bane"

A Shadow Bane? One of _them_? Was she worthy?

With tingling fingers Renati gripped onto the sword that flashed blue when handed over to its new master. It felt light, yet heavy with burden.

The kind former Religious Caste did not expect an answer, thus walked to the door.  
"We will be arriving at Tuzanor soon, rest your heart young one"

Renati's mind was too clouded with a mixture of memories to focus properly. Flashes of the events gone by brought her back in realization of the horror she had witnessed. So many had perished, even more had suffered.  
And the darkness… the darkness that was in that cave was… demonic. Though not sure of how, Renati felt centuries of hatred for these Shadow souled and their spawn flow through her veins.

What was it with her and these oddities? Why did she feel things she never had before? Sees and hears more than others?  
And what in Valen's name had happened on that moon?

What have they done to her?

Suddenly, another memory rushed back to her.  
Naroon!

All she saw was a dark tuniced Warrior being torn away from her in the mass of bodies. What happened? Did he-?

"Shai Alyt!", she craved Branmer with one foot out the door.  
"Yes?"  
"The Warrior who saved my life… Shai Alyt Naroon… did he survive?"  
Branmer paused before replying.

"Naroon is… a difficult case"  
"Is he alive?", she almost cried.  
"He is in deep meditation awaiting proper care. We will probably not be able to act any sooner than upon arrival on Tuzanor. I suggest you wait to see him until then"

He was still awaiting care? After three days? What kind of wounds could he have that cannot be tended to for three days?

* * *

"Hey, wake up", the round face of Varas smiled her friend back to the conscious.  
"We have been on Tuzanor for half a day now, but you kept sleeping", she explained.  
"I- It's soothing here. I hear songs when I sleep", Renati blurted without thinking.  
"Huh?"  
"Never mind"

"We've been here for half a day already?", she suddenly came into light shock.  
"Indeed. I was going to let you sleep but the Workers want to clean up and fix the ship", she urged.  
"How is he?"

Varas knew very well of whom she spoke, but refused to answer.  
"Just come with me first"

* * *

"Why the secrecy? He _is _still alive, is he not?", Renati complained while walking through the Anla'Shok compound towards the medical bay. Well, walking was a big word for it. Though she had no visible wounds, her legs felt heavy and weary. She had to drag them forward.  
"It's difficult to explain", Varas moused.  
"It's either yes or no, Varas", Renati started to lose her patience.  
"He is alive, after a fashion"

Varas' reply only fuelled Renati's anger further, so she sent her in to check it for herself.

The medical bay on Tuzanor was filled with several heavily wounded Minbari, some already looking better and others surrounded by family. Not everyone would make it, that is the burden of battle.  
Bandages, healing crystals, even thread and wire lay spread around – albeit in an orderly fashion. The head hela'mer nodded at Renati when she passed by, but had no time for a chat.

_Where was he?_  
None of the Warriors there seemed to quite know, though they were all still quite taken by the aftermath of the battle.

She found her way to one of the quarantine rooms where she found him. Laying on a bed, wincing and twitching, but apparently asleep.  
"You may pass", a young voice from behind her spoke, "It is not contagious. I believe he could use some friendly support"  
"Then why the quarantine?", Renati asked the apprentice.  
"He was upsetting the others"

Renati walked in the sealed room, but did not approach. Darkness was in this room, she was struck by it.  
"Naroon…", she mouthed and quickly paced over.

It was worse than she thought: the tips of black veins showed down his hands and up his neck. Frantically she reached for his sleeve and rolled it up. The veins grew thicker the closer they got to his body, viciously forcing him in this coma.  
Shaking, she slid her hands over the silk-like fabric to his neck, where she carefully opened his shirt to uncover his chest.

She shrieked at the view of a large darkened scar across it and averted her eyes.  
"That was there before", the young voice came from behind again, "I guess it wasn't the first time he ran into whatever he ran into again"  
Renati looked confused, but followed the guidance of the young medicine man.

"This is the new wound, where the infection started"  
He lined from Naroon's left shoulder to three ribs down on the same side. The darkness was at its darkest there.  
"They missed any vital systems but appear to have poisoned him with the same substance Anla'Shok Na was-", the Worker could not bare the last words.  
"Can we heal him?", Renati's eyes filled with despair. She would not let him suffer the same fate as Anla'Shok Na. She was not going to lose two great men to the same inflicted disease!  
"Well…"  
"We may", another voice interrupted the conversation. It was Tannier, the lead hela'mer of the Anla'Shok.  
"Since the first _encounter_ with the poison we have been researching its origin and more importantly, an antidote", he spoke.  
"Have you found one?"  
"It's not that simple. This poison is not a regular poison that will get out of your system if you push it enough. It is one that clings to the mind as well as the body. That was our mistake with Anla'Shok Na. It cannot be removed operatively, it must be countered differently"  
"Then how?"  
"With the strength of a pure soul"

Renati flicked her lashes, not sure if she heard that right.  
"This poison is something ancient, we believe originating from the high days of the Ancient Enemy. It is something that should no longer exist.

Several scriptures speak of a device called a 'soul shard' and a 'soul transferrer' where part of one's soul needs to be transferred into the other being in order to counter the poison. The soul must however be pure, uninfected by darkness. The purer the soul, the less is needed for recovery"  
Renati was baffled at the explanation of the hela'mer.

_It's not bad enough they are after our lives, they want our souls too? _

"Where can we find these devices?", she asked.  
"That's the problem. The scriptures speak of the documents being located in a temple on an old abandoned colony from the days long before Valen, K0643", the hela'mer explained.  
"Then that is where we will go", Renati spoke determined.  
"Not to pose offence, Anla'Shok, but you may not be able to read the scriptures, or know what you're looking for. Even I had to consult others for proper translation"  
"For the translation, we probably consult the same person, but in order to know what to look for you will come with me", she prompted.  
"I will no-"  
"This is a patient's life we're talking about here! How many more need to succumb to this poison before we will act?", she raged.

The hela'mer was affronted by her behaviour and reacted as such.  
"You are behaving inappropriately in the presence of a patient. Come and see me when you have calmed down", he spoke and pivoted on his heel out the room.

Once again, she was left with nothing. She stood by his bed, her chin on her chest like a beaten dog.  
Perhaps there was no rest for those of her kind.

* * *

Renati opened her eyes with light trouble, they were crumbly. She looked at her folded arms that lay on the edge of Naroon's bed. Imprints of wrinkled fabric scarred the soft surface of her skin.

_Have I fallen asleep?_

Her sticky cheeks indicated slumber had not been pleasant. She got up and looked down at him, still as restless as before.

_What have I done?! _she wailed. It was all her fault. He was dying because of her. Could she reverse this? She had to! She had to convince the hela'mer to come along and find a way.

_You should not suffer_

Just as she was about to leave, another Minbari entered the room. The person stopped halfway through her pace when she saw the mutilated body of her superiour.  
"What happened?! Explain, now!", her ferocious tongue slit at Renati.

Of all people, she was the last one Fara wanted to find beside his bed. She did not deserve to be there. She was probably the reason he was there in the first place.  
Stupid valiant Naroon.

"Oh Fara", Renati wailed. She had not the heart for hostility nor bickering. She just wanted for him to recover.  
"Speak Anla'Shok", Fara replied mildly shocked by her reaction.  
The Religious Caste was honestly grief stricken. Whatever feelings she had for the Shai Alyt, Fara was now convinced they were sincere. Not that that helped her jealousy, but at least she knew the Minbari was honest.

"He was poisoned", she managed without sobbing.  
"Poisoned? By what?", Fara walked over to the bed, across from Renati. Naroon's shirt had been tucked, but the veins on his neck and hands were still visible.  
"By a blade", Renati distracted the Alyt's attention from the symptoms. She was not a Shadow Bane, she was not to know the truth.  
"What kind of blade can put him into a coma no one seems to be able to retrieve him from?", she spoke in disbelief.  
"It's classified…", Renati hesitated.

Classified. Of course it was! Everything around the Anla'Shok was classified, now even Naroon was.  
With nothing left to do but spill her frustration, Fara walked out the door.  
Before she left, she turned and spoke: "I leave you with the responsibility of fixing what you broke. If he does not recover, you will pay"

* * *

On route to K0643, Renati paced up and down her quarters. She had convinced both Varas and Tannier to accompany them on this quest.

Varas was flying the ship at this time, she had _requested_ Renati got some sleep – however for some bizarre reason she could not find slumber. Yes, the current events had struck her, but not enough to keep her entirely from sleeping. A restless sleep should be the least she can accomplish.  
It was as if she simply wasn't tired enough to sleep. Meditation helped, but it still wasn't sleep.

While pacing up and down the room she was bothered by the sword hanging from her belt.  
Branmer's Vorlon sword. What an honour.  
But she should not wear it so openly. _I should keep it safe_, she figured.

The Anla'Shok stepped up to the wall, looking for a switch for a hidden cupboard. As she approached, part of the ship's hull suddenly curved inward, creating a small alcove for the sword to lay. At the same time the sword's blade glew the bright blue it shone when near a Shadow-influenced entity.

Puzzled, but somehow familiar, Renati clipped it from her belt and placed it in the alcove. The sword disappeared and the wall reshaped as if nothing were there. She stroke her fingers over the smooth surface to find a seem: not a single one.

_But what if I need it?_, she wondered.

Suddenly the alcove reappeared, presenting the sword to its master.

_The ship understands me?!_

The Anla'Shok dashed backwards. She had her suspicions there was something different about the vessel, that it was _alive _in some manner, but this was a whole different thing.  
Could she read her mind? Did the ship understand her? Just her or all of the crew?

Renati wasn't sure if she was to be frightened or honoured. She just needed sleep – badly.

* * *

Varas checked the pressure and oxygen levels before letting the twosome explore the surroundings.  
"Looks alright, but take your breathers with you just in case the air gets too thick. There are irregularities in the air – as well as in many things on this planet. Please be careful", she urged them.  
"We will"

The Master healer was not too fond of this hands-on expedition – Tuzanor was a lot safer than this forsaken rock – but there was no other way. The Anla'Shok would not know what to look for, nor was he able to explain it. He would know so when he saw it. The personal victory of finding the cure for what killed Anla'Shok Na had convinced Tannier to come along. At least he could ensure no other shared the fate of his master.

The two walked over to some half-decayed ruins of a temple. Nothing more but a bunch of pillars were standing on the surface, but the lower levels were relatively well conserved. At least one could tell brick from rubble down there.  
The levels were partially uncovered, partially still hidden, but it took no great effort to get inside and explore them.

There were no expected tunnels, but more a collection of large rooms. Artefacts were absent, but the architecture had something familiar.  
All the while, Renati had the distinct feeling they were being watched, but directed it to her heightened sense of paranoia lately.

Tannier was busy examining the tablets and stones, but hadn't find what he was looking for. It took him ages to examine everything, was he not just scanning through?

When a beige coloured tablet got his attention, Renati got hopeful. After patiently studying the Worker's reaction for another set of moments, she was once again left with disappointment.

What if they wouldn't find a cure? Was this their only option? Did the Shadowsouled have the perfect weapon against them now?

_Imagine the slaughter if they knew we have no cure_

Suddenly, Renati was startled by a yelp.  
"Finally! That's what we're looking for!"  
Tannier activated a switch which rolled out a pillar carrying a panel on the upper level. Once back there, he hovered over the old crystals in order to reactivate the ancient technology.

A large projection shot from the device into the air, portraying information and numbers at whoever was watching.  
Quickly he connected his data pad to the – bless the Minbari efficiency – same connecter base and copied the data onto his data pad. He would analyse the data on route back home, anything to get off this rock.

"No, no! Something's wrong", he complained when the power level appeared to be dropping. "No no, not now! I almost have it!"  
Before he could attempt to restore it, a voice cried for their attention.

"Over here"

Renati twirled to face the cloaked figure standing atop one of the ruin's pillars. With swift agility, he jumped down from it and very gently landed on his feet, delaying that last descent just like Renati had before Shakat.  
"Are you responsible for that power failure?", Tannier asked.  
"No, that fuzzy creature over there is", he replied. Both Renati and the Master hela'mer looked, but saw nothing.  
"And they looked!", he exclaimed in disbelief.

He approached them by walking straight through the debris and ancient relics.  
"I've been watching you. I saw your little display at the temple. It was… intriguing but not impressive", the figure said.  
"And you are?", Renati asked, thrown off by the figure's knowledge.

A smirk formed before he took off his hood to reveal his face.  
Another Shadowsouled…  
This one was different. What was left of his bone was elongated and his face was sharp, not blunt. His eyes burst with information – or the yearning for it, difficult to tell.  
Slender built and tall with elegance in his pace, he was quite the figure when approaching you. The cape wrapping around him obtrusively of course added to the imposing nature of his appearance.

"I am Faranth"', he spoke.  
"You have names?", she replied.  
"We all do, just like you, _Renati_"

For some reason she did not dash back when he was only one meter removed, circling her like a bird of prey. Instead, she telepathically suggested to Tannier to get out of there, hoping he would escape the combat that was to come.

"I did not give you permission to leave!", he said and leapt forward, his blade drawn.  
As he struck down on the hela'mer, his blade was suddenly blocked by Renati's Vorlon blade.  
"But I did', she said as she pushed him backwards. He performed a backwards somersault to avoid the dash and landed back on his feet.

"So it is true, they have returned. Or are you alone?", Faranth asked.  
Renati had no idea what he was talking about. What did he mean was she alone? Alone in what?

When his eyes flicked a dark coiling black she dashed away from him. What was that? Was he playing with her?  
Then he let it happen again, only longer this time so she would know her mind was not playing tricks on her.  
His pupils removed, his irises invisible, even the white of his eyes lay hidden under the dark layer of mercury that covered them lid to lid.

"Wh-What are you?", she asked disgusted. This was no ordinary Shadow souled; this was something new.  
Faranth smiled an impressive row of white teeth naked.  
"I am your nemesis, Renati. Or did you think you would be without a worthy opponent?"

She had enough of his taunting. If there ever were a moment to strike, it was now. Her Vorlon blade drawn she thrust forward but.. he dodged!

Next, the clashing of swords commenced. Faranth fought with a one-handed elongated dark knife, while Renati countered him with her Vorlon blade. She swapped between double handed and a combination of sword and arm guard, though her technique left the dark knight unimpressed.

"What are you, Casteless? Come on _Kira Zhe_, you can do better than that! I've seen Religious elders put up a better fight than you!", he mocked her.  
Renati was too busy studying his moves to be bothered by his insult. They were incredible!  
Her knowledge of Warrior styles was not as extensive as she wished, but she could not recognise any of them in his moves, yet something about it felt chillingly familiar.

They continued furiously fencing with one another, until Renati saw an opening. She slid at him with her sword, an attack he blocked as she had anticipated he would. It was the drawing of her Denn'Bok without having to reach of it that made the difference. As if having an extended arm, Renati knocked a full-force blow against her opponent's jaw, knocking him over.

Proudly she stood there peering over him with a self-fulfilled grin. She had floored him, ha!

He flipped himself back up and complained: "That hurts!"  
His jaw had been dislocated, making his face look deformed. To her surprise he grabbed it with both hands and forcefully 'clicked' it back into position.  
"Does it now?", she said in a false tone of pity, hiding her surprise. Blasted resilient Shadow souled!

"I'll show you how much it hurts!", he said and leapt forward with increasing speed. Before Renati could lift her sword to block him, she felt his fist hit her jaw. She didn't fall to the ground, but got caught in another flurry of his blows.  
When she broke free, she lunged at him, but there was nothing more than a residue of black smoke where his body should have been.

_Where did he go? _

Poof!  
Instinctively Renati dodged the incoming assault of nine Shadow shu rikens, and shot at wherever she thought they had come from.  
The blast from her arm guard knocked over an unstable pillar in the field, creating a dust cloud through which one could just make out a shadowy figure dodging the falling fatals.

Boulders tumbled down next to and in front of him, but Faranth dodged all and sped up when the last boulder came tumbling down. His body dodged the rock, but his cape didn't. The boulder fell on top of it and pulled it to the ground, almost chocking him. He got jerked back and lay on the floor from the blow. Renati was confused by this sudden mishap, she had to hold back a chuckle.

"Capes. They look good but are nothing but a bother", he said as he cut off his cape, embarrassed while all the while Renati kept smirking.  
"Laugh while you can Renati", the Shadow souled mocked back before lunging at his apparent nemesis.  
This time his blows carried deeper strength and speed. There was no keeping up with him, however he could have mortally wounded her several times but had not. What was he up to?

"Bah, pathetic. What have you just woken or something?", he said as he smashed her back with a simple push.  
"Your skill is laughable, your stamina is absent and your technique.. well let's not even discuss that. Do the Vorlon think this is a joke?"

The Vorlon? What did he know?!

Faranth rolled his eyes when he saw the insecurity on the Anla'Shok's face.  
"One would think they would inform their subjects of their intentions. Ridiculous. I did not awake from long slumber to face this!", he spat.

"I will be back once you have gained strength, once you're worth the effort", he said as he leapt up high – unnaturally high – into the sky.  
A small Shadow vessel shimmed to visibility in atmosphere and Faranth merged with it, flying off.

Shaken from the experience, Renati sat on the rocks until Tannier dragged her back to the ship, back to Tuzanor.

Her mind did not find rest.

What was this Shadow souled talking about. A nemesis? What was he? Or more to the point, what was _she_?

And what did he know about the Vorlon and her _abduction_? Did he know what they had done to her? How could the enemy know if she did not?  
What was that he had called her? Was it Shadow souled tongue for Minbari?

So many questions and not a single answer.

* * *

After arrival in Tuzanor Tannier retreated to his quarters, continuing his analysis of the data retrieved from the projection. He did not know how much longer the Shai Alyt had – or if there were any other victims they did not yet know of.

One of the cunning traits of the poison was that even the smallest sample in the blood could grow out to an infection. Not always, but in many cases.  
The smaller the amount, the larger the delay, but in all test cases Tannier had found infection took place within 48 hours. It was a mystery as to how long they had afterwards.

Varas accompanied Renati to med bay. Naroon's condition had worsened. The dark veins had moved to his cheeks and fingertips.  
"We will find a way", Varas assured her friend while biting her own lip.

They had to.

* * *

Footnotes

(1) - Sularanai _(Lenn'A)_: Literally: object from the sky. The Minbari equivalent of a shuriken. A weapon greatly preferred by the Star Rider Clan.

* * *

Sorry for the long absence, work was a killer but I'm back now!!

Next chapter: **Sol**


	38. Chapter 38: Healing the Soul

**Healing the soul**

Varas landed the transport ship on the edge of the platform on the mountain. They had finally found it: the place that held the 'extractor'. The device would take part of the soul from one being and transfer it through a Soul Shard into another being.

They were at an old temple that had been out of use for centuries. It was carved out of a crystal mountain and held a large blue crystal formation in its middle, which could only be seen once inside the structure.  
The temple also held the traditional Starfire wheel on a lower level, where the leaders of old fought for leadership over a Clan. The wheel had not seen daylight for centuries. The Religious Caste had barred it as off limits because 'they race has evolved to the level where it is no longer necessary'.

No wonder, for obtaining the leadership over a Clan through the Starfire wheel is not a pleasant endeavour. The alleged leader exposes himself to the dangerous — and more so painful — crystallised UV-light that descends through a gigantic crystal atop the structure. By exposing him to the pain and suffering he proves he cares for his Clanmates and feels their pain.  
Unfortunately in many cases exposure to the wheel meant the sacrifice of the actual leader. A tradition the Religious Caste were happy to erase from their history.

"We will investigate it first", Varas urged the Anla'Shok that had accompanied them. Five more Warriors had shown the same symptoms as Naroon. This meant six souls needed to be saved.  
Six souls to be saved by one... would there be enough for all of them?

* * *

Renati felt her heart pulsing in her throat when she and Varas entered the ceremonial hall. It was large and surprisingly clear, and had a pedestal below the crystal.  
Standing under the crystal and looking up, Renati marvelled at the purest of light shining down from the mountain, touching the face of the pedestal.

In the corner of the room there was a control panel which Varas approached. She moved her fingers over the crystals and got a response. Even after such a long time, their technology was flawless.  
"You need to stand in the triangle with a shard on the pedestal", Varas said as she looked at the data on her pad Renati had sent her.

_She sure isn't letting time get in the way of the issue_, Renati thought. Her fingers got the chills. She was afraid, but was it of the success or the failure of the procedure?  
Success would mean she would lose part of herself forever. What would that be like? Would she be diminished if she gave away part of her own essence?

No. All souls make up the universe, whether they exist in part or in whole, over time they reconnect and separate a million times. Why should she fear a slightly hastened process?

"His eyes...", Renati muttered unaware of herself.  
When she visited him just before, Naroon's regard had been cold and grey. It was like the cocoon of his body lay there, but the essence had left it. There was no spark in them, no light, no life lust.  
"No, I don't want that", she continued.

Varas noticed her friend's hesitation and added a doubt of her own.  
"Are you sure you want to do this?", she asked. "If your soul is not pure enough, the crystal will drain all of it rendering you-"  
She could not even utter the word soulless.

Renati smiled when revelation hit her. "I am Minbari, my soul is pure"  
"But why you?"  
"Because the universe guided us here Varas. It may be you as well as me. I merely chose out of... sentimental reason",

Varas turned quiet, but Renati did not leave much room for thought.  
"You look for a shard, I'll look for the triangle. They may not have much time left", she urged.  
Renati moved her feet softly across the dusty floor in search of a pattern. It didn't' take long before she uncovered a small subtle ridge in the floor.  
In front of the pedestal a triangle unfolded.

In the mean time, Varas had found a shard that had been shed from a crystal formation some time ago. She could see the traces of the unused crystals that had been shed by the mountain, now merging with the structure once again.  
"By Valen, this is heavy!", Varas panted when she carried it to the centre of the room with noticeable trouble. She placed the shard on the pedestal and walked over to the controls.  
"Alright, let's relax. It won't hurt.. I think", Varas said and operated the device according to the instructions on the data pad.

After a moment's hesitation, the Minbari witnessed a light coming from the crystal, breaking down into the shard. The diffused rays of light formed an intricate play of colours shining brightly into the shard. The many ripples together resembled something organic, almost as if the shard now carried essence.

A sensation of safety filled the room, easing both souls present. Entranced by the scene, Renati let go of all worries and faced the shard.  
Suddenly a beam of light coming from the shard aimed at Renati and pierced through her chest. Her face filled with shock and a hint of pain, but she couldn't scream, moan or do much other than move slightly.  
The beam reached into her very soul and took part of it away. It pulled until the shard was satisfactory 'filled', or at least that's what Varas figured.

Light blue light returned towards the shard as it was pulled out from Renati's body. With a reflexive move, she tried to grab on to the part of her soul that she would lose forever, but to no avail.  
When the light hit the shard it disappeared into its crystal layers. When fulfilled, the crystal's beam ceased to flow and freed Renati from pain.

The Anla'Shok dropped to her knees and panting heavily. Every fibre in her body fought against passing out. She felt so empty, so drained of energy.

_Am I incomplete?_  
Doubt filled her head as she scratched the floor's surface with her nails in agony of the void. When she reached for air it was as if it never reached her lungs. The feeling of the floor was different, even the sound of Varas' voice was different.

_What have I done!_

When Varas approached with the — no longer heavy — shard, she tried calming her panic-stricken friend.  
"I will call them in", she spoke silently.  
"I am-"  
"You did right Renatih, but now you will rest so you may live to see another day"  
Varas' words might have well been an order, for Renati dropped to the floor moments after the words left her lips.

"Bring them in"

* * *

Six unconscious Warriors were supported by an Anla'Shok each that placed them in front of the crystal. Naroon was to go first.  
With a stout heart Varas approached Naroon, hoping this would finally release him from his prison. If not, she did not want to think of Renati's reaction when she would come to.

_By the Ancients, make this work_, she prayed when activating te ritual.

"Strike the wound with the shared and light shall expel dark. Light will stay in the host to make up for the loss of the soul damage already done by the Dark", Varas recited as she looked at their friend lying on the floor.  
The Anla'Shok lifted the shard and lunged it deep into the shoulder wound, placing all confidence in the ritual. Naroon's body jerked followed by an agonising scream — but not his. A bright blue light hit the dark wound and drew out a spectacle no one had suspected.

Spirals of light wrapped around the spiral of dark being pulled from the dark wound. The energies pulled at each other, fending for the win. The bright blue force was feistier while the darkness had grown weary from the body's resistance towards it.

_The Darkness is screaming_, Varas realised while holding onto the shard with a fear-stricken heart.

The blue kept pulling the black until it was far enough from the body. Then it jested forward into the wound in Naroon's shoulder and ran through his body, chasing out any possible remainders and sealing it off.  
The black spirals evaporated shortly after losing contact with the spirals of light. Naroon gasped, but showed no immediate sign of consciousness.  
His body reacted, but had his soul healed?

"And now the others...", Varas replied unsure. The shard had grown heavier again, this had drained a lot of Renati's energy already. Would there be enough? Was it even working?

All Warriors had the same reaction, one more spectacular than the next, but the Darkness vanished from all.

All but the sixth.

When the spiral of light reached the wound to lock on to its black opponent, another lunged from a lower wound. Together with the first, the dark spirals held the bright blue trapped.  
It tried fiercely to pull back, but there simply wasn't enough energy left to fend off the corruption. Six was one too many.

* * *

"I hate you"

It took an instant before Naroon could put into focus the words and voice he heard.  
"Always a pleasure, Fara", he was relieved his memory did not fail him.  
She had taken place beside his bed and had not left ever since Varas had let her know there had been a break-through.  
"I just don't know when he'll wake", the Anla'Shok had honestly reported.

"What did you do to yourself?", she demanded to know.  
"I didn't do this to myself", he laughed at the mere suggestion.  
"As no one is willing to tell me the actual story, I have to think of my own scenarios", she elaborated.  
"And self-mutilation is the best you can come up with?", she smirked — though a stinging pain in his left arm reminded him of his fragility.

"Naroon, tell me what happened. Please", Fara turned to a more reasonable self.  
"I cannot. The mission is classified"  
"Classified but _she _knows about it?"  
"She's classified too"

Fara sighed. There was no way of getting a straight answer out of anyone on Tuzanor. Was it a symptom that struck all present in that city?

"Come back when you've come to your senses. I will be waiting in orbit", she reached the best of her patience. She cared for him, but now that she saw he would manage there was no further reason for her to spare him.

He would be better off recovering by himself.

* * *

"She did what?", Naroon whispered.  
It was two days after his 'rejuvenation': time for a briefing in the Tuzanor gardens by Shai Alyt Branmer. Having missed on the larger part of the battle and its aftermath, Naroon was unsure what to think of these new revelations.  
"You should have seen it Naroon, it was incredible. She just lit up, filled with unseen strength", his voice was both sad and warm.  
Sad because he knew life as Renati knew it was over, but warm for there was hope in her for the Minbari people.

"The Vorlon really did a number on her, though I doubt she even knows the half of it", Branmer clarified some of his investigations.  
"So it was not her choice after all", Naroon concluded.  
"One does not choose to have this done to them Naroon; she was taken, changed and thrown back. If anything we should support her for the sacrifice she has made", Branmer urged.  
"Sacrifice?"  
"You will see, in time"

"Was she harmed?", the Warrior tried hiding his personal interest, but could no refrain from asking the question.  
"Physically there's not a mark on her"  
"And mentally?", he feared.  
"I suggest you go and see her yourself. I'm sure she will be greatful to the man who saved her life"

The former Religious Caste had his suspicions about the two, but remained careful with his wording. It would be terribly dishonourable to suggest such a thing were it not true.

"Thank Valen for that little ship", Branmer added as an afterthought when they got up from the bench, "Can you imagine a whole fleet of those?"

* * *

When Naroon approached Renati's quarters' door, he heard a faint mumbling.  
"May Valen keep safe the souls of the Shadow Banes and guide their survivors to calm lives", her voice sounded.

She was praying as was proper: seated with crossed legs in a triangle of candles, the tip facing away from the door.  
"May the souls of the elderly guide Lennon back to his rightful place in the circle. May the universe choose him to be reborn in part or in whole"

She paused for a moment before finishing the ritual: "And may the universe shed a light on what was done to me"

"So you do not know", Naroon spoke.

Renati turned around, startled. She never heard the door open, nor noticed anyone's approach.  
"You're walking!", she yelped and got to her feet.  
"Yes"  
"How do you feel? You look better", she said relieved.

"Not that you looked bad before but...actually, you did", her clumsiness never left her.  
"I don't feel much better yet, but I can walk", he spoke honestly.

Renati rubbed her fingers across one another, unsure what to say. She did not know how he felt now. So much had happened since. What was to become of them?

"I heard you when I was... _asleep_"  
"You did?"  
"Yes", he confirmed, "I wasn't aware that you and Fara could converse without lunging at each other's bone"  
"She's the one doing the lunging", Renati spoke in defense. Her heart warmed when his lips curled in a smile.  
"You shouldn't, it hurts when I laugh", he complained nevertheless.

"I.. suppose you heard? We got them", she brought seriousness back into the room.  
"Indeed I heard"  
"Does that mean they will no longer come back?", she didn't believe her own question.  
"No, they always come back — usually in greater numbers", he failed to reassure her.

"It frightened me...", she admitted.  
"What did?", he wanted for her to specify.  
"Everything. The assault, the Shadow souled coming down on me, the Warrior protecting me and the struggle afterwards", she admitted.  
Her eyes sought his when she spoke: "I have lived in fear these past few days... fear that.. you may not wake up"

Naroon narrowed his as a forebode to smile. Despite his earlier thoughts, being here with her did not feel awkward. On the contrary, it felt surprisingly natural.  
There she stood, exposing herself to him, handing him her trust as if they had known each other for a lifetime.

He took a step forward and plucked the first of his diamond shaped decorations off his tunic. It had a light shine of blue in it, a shine the others did not share. Those were plain silver.

His fingers slid under the collar of her shirt, where he attached the token. Renati stood frozen, too stunned to even ask.  
"By giving you my first ranked insignia, I vow to be your guardian, for anything you may need. Is there a mission on a planet you're too frightened to go to by yourself, an enemy you cannot defeat or simply a night where you need for someone to listen, I will be there at any time, no questions asked. This token shows it to those you want it to know", he spoke.  
Renati felt honoured, but again words failed to leave her lips.

"It is a Warrior custom, but it is no where written we cannot grant it to a Religious Caste", he continued.  
His regard was serious and anticipating. Would she accept the honour?

Renati gave him no more than an endearing look, but it was all the confirmation he needed. He slid his fingers that were resting in her neck to her chin and with a gentle motion brought her lips up to his — at last.

The kiss delivered them from the yearning they both suffered. It was long-lived, but it had finally come.

His lips felt softer than she had expected, also a little trembling. This unknown feeling made her somewhat uncomfortable, or was that the sudden rush of emotions she felt in her underbelly?

She was happy, excited, curious and scared at the same time. Her hand shook in his, but was comforted by the gentle stroke of his fingers across hers. His other hand remained on her cheek, the bottom two of his fingers supporting her chin, locking their embrace.  
The release of the kiss was heavier than he had expected. He had feared to be overcome with doubt, but instead his determination had only grown.

When their lips finally parted, Naroon rested his nose against Renati's cheek and felt her rubbing her forehead against his in a loving manner.  
Her hands wrapped around his back and held him tightly. She would hold him to his promise.  
But would the world accept it?

Naroon was soothed by her response and forgot about society's repercussions.  
"I care not for your Caste, only for you"

* * *

**Author's Note:** I know it's rather short for such a long wait, but that's because we shifted some things to the next chapter, which has the lovely anticipating title 'Sol' :-)

That one's going to be much larger and will have more action, suspense and intrigue in it, but just need to finish it -_-''

Please review so I know what you think!!


	39. Chapter 39: Sol part I

**Sol: part I**

The Tiris.  
Of all the places she wanted to be right now, her heart could not have hoped for it to come true. Although she had not seen Naroon for a couple of weeks, he had not left her thoughts.  
After their last _pleasant_ encounter, he had been called away on a mission and Renati had been tied to Tuzanor together with Varas. Their goal was to stabilise the Anla'Shok now that the void of Anla'Shok Na's passing was sinking in.

Though the work continued, the guiding voice of the elderly Master was sorely missed. Satai Rathenn tried to mend and mediate wherever he could, but it was clear a replacement needed to be found — as soon as possible.

In order for the new recruits not to panic, Renati and Varas had been assigned training duty over the fresh meet in the barrel — being those that have passed the initial test. Varas had felt hands on what it meant to train Humans, even ones as annoyingly persistent as the one called Marcus.

She did not know what was the source of his passion, but that one was surely motivating — as well as irritating the patience out of the others.  
Renati had downright refused training another bunch of Earthlings.  
"You have a whole ocean of patience I will never have, Varas", she had argued.  
Varas made a fair trade: Renati's handled their filing for the last five cycles.  
Justice if you ask her.

Great was Renati's surprise when Varas offered her the mission assigned to her by Rathenn.  
"I think you will enjoy it more than I will", Varas had justified.

A mission on the Tiris? She almost missed the part where responsibility kicks in: part of being a member of the diplomatic entourage of Satai Delenn.

Satai Delenn...

The stiff Satai of the Religious Caste. Miss 'I believe Mir is superior to Chu'Domo but my principles do not allow me to speak of it'  
Renati did not know the Satai personally of course, but derived her conclusion from what she had experienced through public appearance.

Delenn was not the most loved amongst her people or rather she was very popular with a niche crowd, but outcast by the larger part.  
Because she is chosen of Dukhat she remains respected, but were it not for his choice...

Delenn of Mir was young, too young for many's like. She is conservative on one end, downright rebellious on the other. It was very difficult to map her. One can only imagine the lively discussions the Nine have.  
Rathenn favoured the young Religious Caste, as did one of the Warrior Satai apparently, though no one knew exactly which one, nor if it perhaps was just a rumour meant in good spirit.  
The Worker Caste try staying in her favour to the best of their ability as she is one of the few Satai who actually take their vote into account. They are _big_ Delenn fans.

But Renati was not. There was just something about her...  
Sure she was a knowledgeable person and probably very capable of governing a people. Delenn just reminded her too much of everything she loathed. The stressing of the rituals, the emphasis on the theory, the lack of practice... even their philosophy lay directly opposite one another.

But onboard the Tiris Renati could handle Delenn. There was not a ritual too many that could keep her from enjoying her stay. It was all worth it if she just got one more moment with _him_.

When the Satai stepped down the ramp of the transport ship into the Sharlin cruiser's docking bay, she was met by an impressive honour guard of Warriors.  
Just about the entire crew was lined up in several triangular shaped formations and bowed for their ruler.  
The front two triangles were tipped one by the Shai Alyt and the other by the Alyt.

"We honour your welcome aboard this ship Satai Delenn. May your stay be pleasant", a clearly uneasy Naroon spoke.  
"A Moon Shield reception? How unexpected", the Satai commented, but greeted him back.  
"Unexpected, Satai?", he was left puzzled, "Might I enquire for what you _were_ expecting?"  
"A Night Walker reception of course, as I had asked Shai Alyt Shakiri for his assistance. It is good to see he trusts those of another Clan with a responsibility of this grandeur. I will have to commend him for his actions", Delenn replied, oblivious of the apparent conflict.

Naroon burned with rage. Shakiri was responsible for this? Escorting a Satai to... — he could not even think it, let alone say it.

_I will get him for this_

Hiding his trouble like a seasoned Warrior, he offered the Satai a tour of the ship. She did not realise they were actually completely unprepared. When Naroon had received the scroll with the orders and had noticed the location, he had dismissed it as a practical joke from his crew. Probably someone's birthday he forgot or something alike. No leader in their right mind would send Naroon there again... with a Satai nonetheless.

As a consequence of the former, the crew was no more prepared than the little actions they had done in the ten minutes prior to the actual docking of the Satai's transport vessel. Only then was it clear that this mission was for real, however Naroon had not yet informed the crew of their destination...

A soft sigh of relief could be noticed throughout the hangar bay when Delenn refused the Shai Alyt's tour.  
"I still have a lot of matters to handle, as a matter of fact _we_ do Shai Alyt. My assistant will hand you the details", she spoke, "If you would be so kind to escort me to my quarters?"

There was something humble about her. She was less hautaine than the other Satai he had encountered in his career. Perhaps her young age made her more approachable, he couldn't place it, but he sure was relieved it was her he was transporting and not Satai Dhaliri.  
Naroon escorted Delenn out of the docking bay while Fara stood by to receive the rest of the diplomatic entourage, and with it the detailed orders.  
But when she saw who emerged from the ship carrying a data crystal, her bone curled.  
"Moran can handle this", she cursed at Renati and at the same time commanding the poor soldier. Renati shrugged her shoulders and let Fara's hostility pass her by. It would probably never clear away.

"So, where are we going?", Moran asked Renati, happy to see her. The Anla'Shok had grown on the crew, though they favoured the complete duo for their infamous adventures. Unfortunately Varas was tied back on Tuzanor.  
"I don't know yet, you have to decrypt", Renati said and handed him the crystal.  
He slid it into his data pad, waved over some commands and then returned it.  
"So?", he asked anxiously.

Renati frowned before replying.  
"It's faulty"  
"What do you mean it's faulty?", Moran rejected her conclusion.  
"It says Sol"

* * *

Earth.  
Of all planets they could have gone to...  
Oh he would get Shakiri back for this.

He had crossed the line. It was one thing to disguise one's maleficent practices, but a whole other thing to intentionally do this. He was seeking him out, taunting him. Should he react? Or lay low?

If he laid low Shakiri would probably see it as a victory and continue besmearing his reputation as Shai Alyt. If however he reacted, he could unchain a series of explosive events of which the consequences would be too grave.

"You could also react subtly", Fara spoke as his muse. Naroon looked at her in mild surprise. She holstered no special abilities, just the power of knowing him very well. He had forgotten how well.  
"What do you suggest?", he wondered.  
"I suggest a subtle but painful throb to his ego, something that shouldn't effect many others. It would be nice if we could target just him", Fara continued.  
"That would be good indeed", he said but switched interests when he saw Kujar and Moran enter the meeting room.  
"But now the mission, revenge can wait", he muttered under his breath.

The atmosphere in the room changed with the arrival of the others. The men remained quiet. Their commander was seated — seated! — on one of the chairs surrounding the conference table. The chair was not there by default, it needed to be extracted from the floor as Minbari rarely sit, even in meetings. However they are present for the injured.

The Shai Alyt being seated was not a good sign. They had heard rumours of the mission being set to the Sol system — Earth even.  
It would take a courageous amount of willpower for Naroon to go back there and not push the button. Like many other Warriors, he had lost dearly to the Earthlings. Not only the former commander of the Tiris Shai Alyt Vodin, Naroon's grandfather, but his younger brother Nerdir as well.

The loss of Nerdir was something that scarred him still. Every day it was one of the things that reminded him the path of the Warrior was one difficult to follow. Only the old crew of the Tiris knew the story behind the loss of Nerdir, but even they did not know the whole truth. Only Naroon... and Fara knew.

Nevertheless the subject was not surfaced. Suveni and Kujar helped guiding the meeting — and the continuations of it — from staying clear of the matter.  
"What if they show any hostility?", one of the recruits rightfully noted.

No one was sure what the right answer to that was. If it were his call, Naroon would order to shoot back, but the Satai outranked him.  
"We are subject to Satai Delenn's judgement", he replied diplomatically.  
"What if she is not aboard at the time? What if she is down on the planet for the negotiations?", Fara picked in on it.

The whole ship was ready for blood. The mission was folly. Going to Earth in light of negotiations regarding some kind of a peace station? One inhabiting species of all kinds? The universe must be crazy.  
Naroon did not answer the question.  
"This is a list of the procedures to be followed upon entering Human space", Suveni broke the eerie silence. The list was long — even for one made by a Religious Caste!

The procedures of entering the Sol System:  
'Enter normal space behind the fourth moon of Jupiter, Callisto  
Then hail the nearest beacon and await further instructions.  
Fly at minimal speed in the direction of Venus, in a calculated arch away from the planet. All flight will be in V formation, while Human escorts will accompany you from all sides.  
No fighters are to be launched at this point. Presence of support ships is minimal.  
Do not open the gun ports at any time during presence in the Sol system  
...'

And the list went on.

"I'm going to have a talk with the Satai about the _tactical_ _value_ of this"  
Naroon got up and left the room, leaving Fara in charge of the meeting.

* * *

That night, Renati sought refuge in the relaxation area. She ploofed herself down in one of the comfortable sofas between Kujar and Moran who were enjoying a digital game of Minbari Pong , a version more complicated than the Human naturally. Motion and pressure sensitive game pads allowed for optimal registration of movement.

All the while, Renati let out not even a squeak.  
"My my, she has really gotten to you, hasn't she?", Kujar poked eventually.  
Renati rolled her eyes and reluctantly replied: "Do you know how many rituals there are for saying good evening to a Satai?"  
Before either could answer, Renati continued: "Do you know how many I have forgotten?  
— and do you know what the punishment is for forgetting any ritual?"

More rituals!  
The ritual of forgiveness, the ritual of remembrance, the ritual of mind enforcement, ...

"I even forgot the ritual of forgetting!", she complained.  
Delenn could not be happy having her as an assistant, Varas would have been the better choice. She had seriously underestimated this mission. Blasted impulsiveness of hers! And for what? She hadn't even caught more than a glimpse of him, not even a word!

"So, Earth eh? What kind of protection did you bring?", Kujar changed the subject to something more cheery.  
"Protection?"  
"Of course, you can't go to Earth unprotected. There are all kinds of things-that-don't-look-like-a-weapon-but-really-are there and the Humans are all too keen to use them", he scared her somewhat.  
"What are you talking about?", Renati had experience with Humans through her Anla'Shok missions and had a vast knowledge of Human weaponry. Was there something that had missed her attention?

"Allow me to demonstrate", Kujar said and walked to the wall. He flicked some crystals and took a device from between many others in the wall. It was small, rectangular shaped with an expanding top. At least that's what she figured was the top.

At the end were two small lightly flexible protrusions.  
"During the War this was one of their favoured weapons. When they found out the excruciating pain this puts us in, they adapted it into guns allowing bigger capacity and distance shooting", Kujar explained.  
"Distance shooting?", Renati gulped when he clicked a button on the side of the device.  
A sizzling sound was heard while a flash of light connected one side of the protrusion to the other.

"What is that?", she winced, faintly recalling a memory of it somehow.  
"Electricity", Moran clarified.  
"In a weapon?", Renati suddenly remembered, "I thought it was their power source?"  
"They're inventive", sarcasm never left the Warriors.  
"How is it applied?", Renati wondered, but Kujar retracted the device from her grip.  
"I will demonstrate, but with the safety on", he urged.

"They hold this _taser_, as they call it, concealed under their clothes. It's compact, like a Denn'Bok so you're not likely to notice it. In the war they even had longer stick versions for better range before the weapons were released.  
Then when you least expect it, they flash it out, charge it and apply it to the nearest body part"  
Kujar's explanation came with all the necessary liveliness, including the swinging of the device and locking it onto Renati's chest.

With a force equal to his surprise Kujar was knocked backwards into the decor as a major force discharged on Renati's chest. Moran stood frozen in place for an instant, consuming the moment.

Had it just fired?!?

He dove over to the Religious Caste, who had sunk through her knees.  
"Renati!", Moran shook her, but no reply came.

What happened? Wasn't the safety on?

"The blasted thing malfunctioned!!!", a shattered Kujar stuttered. He plucked some shards of crystal as a result from impacting on a clear wall from his shoulder while pacing back to Renati.  
"Is she hurt?", he kneeled with him.  
"What do you think! You... argh! Get her to med bay!"

* * *

"Fara, what's bugging you? You've been on edge ever since the Satai got on board. Does her presence bother you so much?", Naroon complained to Fara who was the last one left after another long meeting. It was good to take the focus off himself for a moment.  
"What's knowing your bone?", he insisted. The Alyt held her chin between thumb an index, then lifted it slowly.

_He doesn't know she's here!_

Suddenly the frown turned to a grin. "Nothing to worry about, you should get some rest. It's getting to you more than you'd like to admit", she spoke and left the room.  
Naroon rolled his eyes, but just as he was about to follow his arm guard bleeped.

_Rest. Like I ever will... _

"Shai Alyt, I wish to complain about the abuse of the Anla'Shok on the ship. I know the Warriors think less of hem, but that's no reason to-"  
"Slow down Hakarai, what are you talking about? Please clarify", he urged the Master hela'mer.  
It felt like the beginning of the message had been chomped off somewhere.

Anla'Shok?  
What was he talking about? Was this another trick? He could not afford the risk, not after his last misjudgement...  
"Never mind, I'll come over"

Naroon looked puzzled when he walked past Kujar still picking shards of crystal from his back. Stingy.  
"What happened to you?", he wondered, but then noticed a silhouette he recognised on the next bed. The hela'mer just covered her naked skin again after placing another monitoring disc on her chest.  
"Renati?"

Kujar and Moran exchanged looks, ready for the full blow. Thankfully for them, she did not show much injury.  
In fact, it was a miracle she had not gone into cardiac arrest, given the power of the surge released on her, but they could do no other than speculate as to why.  
"What happened?", Naroon asked worried as he came next to her bed. She was sitting up, clearly comfortable, but startled.

"It was no one's fault, it malfunctioned", she uttered.  
"What malfunctioned?", Naroon was confused.  
"The taser", Moran explained and presented the device.  
"Whoa! Get that away from me! Fara still has those burns! My weapons' locker — now!", he ordered.

The hela'mer appeared unconvinced on the malfunctioning of the device, but Renati offered no protest.  
"Kujar was aiding me with proper protection for my descent to Earth and-"  
"You're going down there?", Naroon swallowed.  
"I have to. I am part of the diplomatic entourage after all"

Ah, hence Fara's mood. She knew all along Renati was aboard the ship!  
Blasted female...

"Kujar, how did this happen? Why risk such a lively demonstration? You could have just handed her the counterweights", Naroon scolded the Warrior.  
"I wanted her to know the risk. Besides there wouldn't have been a problem if the bloody technology would work the way it's supposed to!", he spoke in his defence.

Both Moran and Renati confirmed the story, which left Naroon with nothing more to say.  
"Alright, the device is clearly a hazard. I will ask Journeyman Fakov to get rid of it and get us a _safer_ version"

He turned to Renati again, who was receiving instructions from Hakarai, the hela'mer.  
"This device will help keep me an eye on your vitals. You must wear it on your chest at all times. Perhaps this way we can gain more insight in what happened.  
The reaction you had to the blast is not normal. You have scorched skin, but your internal organs are fine. They should be mildly cooked from the setting it was on...  
I would like to get to the bottom of this", he insisted.  
"So would I", Renati agreed.

Her recent _changes_ were scaring the spirit out of her. Healing her own wounds, transforming into something 'more' than herself,... What was next? Re-sprouting body-parts? She shuddered at the thought of it.  
"Nusen'taal", she spoke and got off the bed.

"Can you walk?", Naroon looked both worried and confused.  
"I'll be alright", she was grateful for his worry, but wanted the attention away from her. Enough spotlight for a day.  
"Come, I will see to it you get proper care", he whispered.

Kujar gave Moran an understanding grin.  
Yeah, they heard that right.

* * *

"Have you eaten?", Naroon asked when Renati entered. She was more comfortable in his quarters than she was last time. Perhaps because the initial nervosity was gone.  
"Actually, I am starving now that you mention it", Renati replied hopefully.  
"Well then let us-"

Prwing!  
_You have eleven messages waiting, all from Satai Delenn_

Naroon based his shoulders and spoke: "Filter messages on words: urgent, important, need immediate attention"

_Filter complete. Seven messages remaining. Displaying first message, part one of eleven_

"Never mind, hold", he commanded the computer. Like a child being cheated out of a toy he looked at Renati.  
"No worries", she smiled but based her eyes, "Though I was really looking forward to an evening together..."

Naroon bit his lip, but could not let duty make way for pleasure.  
"I'm sorry Renati.. but if I don't go through these, I don't know what the Satai will have me do"  
"I could always assist...", she tried, but noticed by his reaction it was probably no material in her field of expertise.  
Blasted Delenn, could she not wait another couple of hours?

Naroon noticed Renati scouring around for an excuse to stay and saw her regard hit the collection of scrolls of Sha'al Leshath poetry.  
"That does not leave the room", he insinuated.  
"Good", she replied with a mischievous grin.

The Anla'Shok walked over to the table and plucked the scrolls away before she happily plonked herself down in his sofa.  
"At least enjoy my company then"

* * *

Entering Human space had been easier than expected, of course Naroon had skimmed down the procedure heavily. He wasn't taking any risks: full company and all fighters deployed. Bless his diplomatic reasoning skills.

Satai Delenn did not appear nervous when setting foot on Earth's soil, then again she was a master at disguising her true emotions.  
It would be a long trial: five days of conferencing and confiding on the topic of a diplomatic space station with the sole purpose of offering a safe forum for the different races of the galaxy to gather.  
However, this is what Renati found out after being briefed in private by Delenn. She stressed that the project was still _unknown_ to the Warrior Caste — just another way of saying she was keeping it from them until she deemed them ready.

_I wonder how long it will take for them to find out_

The conference was in Geneva, capital city of Earth. It was vast, with both the riches and faults large Human cities have.  
There will be many guests from all over the universe, all staying in the highly guarded compound. Renati wondered how the Humans would manage to put a decent police force together to govern it all. It would probably be a half-baked plan as usual. Let's not go unprepared.

Fara had watched the guests depart from the deck earlier and was now looking for some company.  
There was a strange atmosphere on the ship. Everyone was working, but no one was thinking about it. Their minds were in the past or possible future.  
Even Naroon's was away.

"Lek nra tiv minea, lart stek nit"  
The Shai Alyt recited the words in an old dialect of Vik seated in one of the meditation rooms with the proper formation of candles.  
"Praying? It's been a while since I have seen you do that", Fara actually smiled.  
"I pray for the lost souls to forgive us for coming back here and not finishing what we started", he said grimly without looking up.  
"In that case...", Fara added before she sat beside him and joined in prayer.

* * *

The attendees were enjoyable from the likes of the flamboyant Centauri ambassador and his entourage to the mysteriously quiet Vree in the corner. Everyone seemed on edge and ready to pose their questions.  
Renati didn't even attempt a light surface scan. The sheer hostility and fear would probably knock her right out of it.

Delenn was relaxed though. At ease and patient — a quality Renati reluctantly admired in her. No matter how hostile the crowd, the female never seemed to lose her cool. Even after the initial introductions covered in insults from one race to another, she remained spotless.  
Where does she get the energy?

The first debate would handle the most important: who would form the Council of Elders — that was the nickname Renati gave it — and who would be at the opposite side of them. The Babylon station's intention was more than a meeting place for people of different races to gather on neutral ground. The achievement would be to also set up a basis for international relations. This way every race would have a forum where they could jettison their questions, a place where they would be heard.

Confrontation would bring the different races closer together, or at least that's what the humans believed. Renati saw the events a tad gloomier.  
The races have never _all_ gotten along regarding a common goal since the beginning of mankind, why would they change now?

Have they matured enough to do so?  
Most definitely hadn't and others simply wouldn't out of principle. One cannot ask a Narn and a Centauri to be on the same side of the road. They will always bicker, it is endless.

This fact was demonstrated again at this council, so ferociously even that the Human ambassador threatened revoking the right of both the Centauri and the Narn of being on the council.  
In the end it was Delenn who suggested extending the council with one seat to house both the Centauri and the Narn.

"But then the council will consist out of four, there will be an imbalance", ambassador Sinclair noted.  
"Three is a holy number, but in a situation where so many different societies and habits are involved, perhaps it would be wiser to take a larger number for a broader view. I suggest we open the council up to five", ambassador Delenn rolled off her diplomatic tongue.  
"But then who will hold the last seat?", the Human wondered.  
"The Vorlon will", Delenn silenced the room.

* * *

Delenn had caused quite the stir by announcing the Vorlon would be coming to Babylon 5. They had shown interest in the endeavour and planned sending an ambassador.  
Suddenly the number of interested races increased considerably. Their behaviour had been so predictable, yet so excellently played into place by Delenn.

Renati really had to admit that her social manipulative skills far outweighed those of any other she had seen before. She bet Delenn could have talked Lennon into whatever she wished, a somewhat daunting thought.

Though she respected her superior's strength, she failed to enjoy her company. They were simply too different. Delenn clung too much to her rank to make any kind of social interaction work, for Renati did not function well in stiff situations.  
Then again she had other skills. For example, she was very aware of the environment, noticed even the slightest thing that was off.

_If the diplomatic envoys stay the night, why doesn't the Human one retreat to his quarters?_

Renati wondered when she saw the aide of the Human ambassador Sinclair disappear into the other hallway. She had left the table early. Diplomatic diners were not her best of skill, it was better for all if she weren't present.  
Besides, her stomach was unsettled by the sheer smell of the Human food, let alone the risk of digesting it.

No, diplomatic missions were not Renati's cut, however the behind-the-scenes work was. The little protest the Satai had given at her early departure suggested to Renati that Delenn had anticipated all along an Anla'Shok assistant would not hold through the long morally numbing parts and go exploring by one's self.

_Where is he going?_

The Anla'Shok followed the skittish Human through corridor after corridor, hoping her mind would carefully map the whole thing. His jerky walk irritated her. What was the matter with this one? He walked like someone whose right leg does not bend properly, very odd. Very irritating.

Robert, as she had heard Sinclair refer to him, lead her away from the compound, into a tunnel leading to the underground. For a moment Renati hesitated.

_What if he goes into the city?_

Was she ready for Geneva where the slums were notorious for their crime rate?  
It was that she feared for her life, but for the augmented chance of getting into trouble and being penalised by Satai Delenn. She horried another set of ritualistic prayer of forgiveness....

When Robert boarded the metro the Anla'Shok didn't even have a split second to conclude her decision. Reflexively she followed him onto it, her face hidden deep within her hood. Judging from the crowd around her, she didn't stand out too much. Most were clad in rags covering their necks and faces, keeping warm from the chilling outside wind.  
She was tall for a Minbari, but apparently of average height for a Human, gratefully adding to her blending in. The only thing that was off about Renati was her — to human eyes — masculine posture combined with her female lined face.

Renati stood at the back of the carriage hanging on to one of the _things_ hanging from the ceiling. She had seen it on some footage once so figured this classified as inconspicuous behaviour.  
The train was more quiet than she expected. It looked bulky, but it moved very smoothly. Probably because of the switch to 'clean' energy Earth had collectively made some decades ago. Apparently they used an energy source that slowly polluted their home planet — knowingly! Go figure...

The woman on the seat across from her coughed hard, then spat some saliva on the floor. The Anla'Shok held back from reacting to such a disgusting habit. Low profile was the key.

As far as she could tell, Robert had not yet noticed he was being followed. His level of skittishness had not changed.  
He too was seated like the woman, but tapped his left foot irritantly on the floor every time the train passed over the rails, augmenting the sound.

Renati bit her lip in a form of self control. What a pity too much depended on her good behaviour. She would reform the entire race if she had the chance. Get rid of all they annoyances teach them some manners.

Unfortunately that process was no for an outsider to force on them, not even through war. The Humans would have to civilise themselves.

* * *

Eight underground stations, five streets and one block further, Robert disappeared into the back of a dark alley. He passed a gang of youngsters dealing something that would take them to another level and a couple that probably was well beyond.  
Neither of the vulgarities raised his attention as he continued to the back of a building in the deep end of the alley.

_At last! _Renati hoped.

"Jonesy, open up", Robert banged on the door.  
"Whaddaya want?", a raspy American voice muffled from behind the door.  
"It's Robert. I'm meeting with the others. Let me in"  
"You're late", the doorman protested without showing the slightest effort of passage.  
"I know. Things took longer than expected"  
"Boss says you're not welcome anymore", Jonesy replied.  
"Tell Clayton I have valuable information", Robert insisted.  
"You always say that. I heard 'em say they don't want you in the group no more"  
"That's ridiculous Jonesy. Clayton is just jealous because Mr. Zhao is taking an interest in me rather than him. Now open this door before someone hears us you nitwit"

Robert was from a higher standing — and probably intelligence — than Jonesy, that much was clear to Renati by the mere use of language. Once she saw the bear-like man open the door for the skittish assistant, a grin coloured her teeth.

Time for some old fashioned Anla'Shok how-to-pass-the-guard action!

* * *

"Robert, don't go there. He's late because of you", Gladys tried to stop him.  
"I don't care, the information is worth the wait", Robert insisted.  
"I don't think he will see it that way..."  
"Don't worry, I'll be fine", he said and walked around the corner, deeper into the building.

* * *

"No, I want to speak to him myself. I have worked hard to get this information, I deserve to reap its fruits", Robert insisted even when the murky Clayton figure threatened him.  
"You little ungreat! I got you this far, you should be hogging my leg! The level of patience and tolerance I have had with you far outweighs that to any other man", Clayton spat.  
"That's because I am not just any other man — and you know it! I want to see him myself or you're not getting anything", Robert stuck to his case.

The stubble faced man uttered a deep, dark laugh. "You really think I have to ask you for the information? I have many ways to get this out of you, Bobby. Don't forget: you're expendable. I'm not"

"Actually, the situation has changed", a new voice spoke from behind Clayton.  
"Wha-"

Bang!

A bullet shut off all remaining thoughts in Clayton's mind as the shock-faced body dropped through its knees. Robert stood frozen, looking in fear at the assaulter.  
"Mister Zhao is ready to see you now"

* * *

Robert walked into a dark room with seven suited men seated around an impressive wooden table. Their faces were shroud in shadow, however the occasional sip of a cigar temporarily revealed nothing more than a silhouette.

The room's wealthily decoration put it out of place in a building such as this. Robert had never thought there would be a place like this here — not in this part of town for that matter!

"Mr. Wade. Welcome to this gathering", a voice from the darkness emerged.  
"Th-thank you sir", Robert was unsure of a proper reply. He had the feeling anything other than courtesy, would get him shot.

"We understand you have a position more interesting than Mr. Clayton. One closer to the source shall we say?", the voice continued.  
"Y-Yes sir. I am the personal assistant of the Human ambassador in the Babylon 5 project", he spoke with somewhat more confidence, regardless of his initial hesitation.  
"There is only one _ambassador_, dear Mr. Wade, all the others are scum", another voice made clear of the racial intentions of the group.  
"Of course", Robert corrected himself.  
"What has this position offered you that you value sharing with us?"  
"The specifics on the Babylon 5 project, sir", Robert minded his wording.

The rustling of suits and occasional tapping on a screen filled the room until the voice spoke: "And what is it you expect in return?"  
Robert paused before her answered.  
"I wish to be a part of this organisation"  
The man raised a brow but no one could see. "Do you even know what you are becoming a part of?"  
"One of the most powerful intelligence gathering organizations in the world", he answered, as that was all he knew about them — truly.  
"Haha, that's a lovely way to formulate things! You have some nerve bringing us down to that", the voice spoke.

"But perhaps that's not all that bad", another urged. It was nice to see a light shed on their efficiency of information gathering rather than the other _explosive_ end of the organisation.  
"We will consider you the replacement for Mr. Clayton. Do not disappoint us as he did"

"Now Mr. Wade, if you wish?"  
"Every report confirms the original spec. The station is built to be a station of peace, where races can negotiate under safe circumstances. President Santiago really thinks he can make this work", Robert explained the purpose of the station to the men.

"President Santiago is a man of many delusions", one assured the others, "What of the security? How will they guarantee the security? A mixed police force?"  
"No, the security personnel will be fully Human", Robert clarified.  
"Excellent", another grinned. "Peace for all on a station governed by Humans, come on, even the aliens can't be that gullible"

"Actually most of them were. Of course there was much talk of the different interests of the different races — though the actual involvement of some is doubtful — but most attention was spent on the political say of all.  
They have already accepted the station as a fact, all that's left is the political struggle around it. The Narn don't want the Centauri to have too much power etcetera...", Robert clarified.  
"What about the Minbari?", a new voice asked. It was deeper than the others, but not raspy.  
"The Minbari involvement is still unclear. They have some say in the matter, but even ambassador Sinclair seemed not to know the whole of it"  
"Or wasn't willing to tell you"

"The Minbari must not have any crucial hand in this project. You must see to that", the deep clear voice commanded.  
"With all due respect sir, how am I supposed to do that?"  
"You are the ambassador's assistant are you not?"  
"Yes, of course but-"  
"Talk him into it. No race other than our own should control that station. It will be of great value for our future plans, we need no alien eavesdroppers. Are you up for that Mr. Wade?"  
"..Of course"

* * *

"How did he take the news?", Gladys offered her partner-in-crime a well-filled beer.  
"Not well", Robert replied rather dry.  
"But you're still here, does that mean he-"  
"One of Zhao's beat me to it"

Her hazel eyes focused on his when she heard of her boss' fate. She tried to make out whether Robert was relieved or rejoiced. They both had wanted to get rid of him for some time now, but Gladys lacked Robert's motivation. Was he afraid of his own life or was he aiming at a promotion?

"He had it coming", she replied dryly — hiding her hesitation.  
"Don't worry, I'm not like him. I'll let you choose your own targets", Robert confirmed the latter.  
"It's not the targets I'm worried about, it's the money"

Gladys worked for Clayton as a delivery girl. She delivered whatever it was he needed to get rid of or get into to whatever clients. Whether those were sensitive documents exposed to the right accountant or a picture of the mayor to his wife with something much younger than her, it didn't matter. Anything that did the job.

The only reason she did it was to get into the business. Know some people, build up a network until she is powerful enough to grow.  
Robert had noticed her potential. It happened more often than Clayton could have thought that she returned with something more valuable than she left. She was a thief, and a good one too.

Her reason for doing it was unknown to Robert. She was pretty enough to get a job in any business safer than this. Hell, she could even get a job as a decent waitress in a fancy restaurant if she hid her many tattoos.

But Gladys stayed. She stayed and gradually worked her way up, or at least intended to.  
Robert had long before decided were he to get Clayton's position, Gladys was the first _employee_ he would satisfy. Tyranny works, but only if you clothe it properly.  
Yes, let her do the work she wants, but only if she keeps doing what _you_ want.

"You don't need to worry about the money. You'll be paid more now", Robert assured her. "For the same work?"  
"No. From now on, I expect you to _specialise_", he said while sipping his drink. She placed hers — a cocktail of some sort — on the counter and looked at him. Her freed hand slid over his inner thigh before she dug her nails in hard.  
"You better not be yanking my chain, fresh boy!"

Robert blinked but showed no discomfort as he replied: "I do not yank chains. I don't even believe we have that expression in Britain. Nonetheless, I may have gotten this promotion through impure channels, but I intend to use it for the betterment of both of us. You, me, Kyle and a couple more.  
We will change this business Gladys, we're on to something big. Mr. Zhao isn't a small fish. I think he's the big deal. As long as we keep him happy, we can run as much of our own as we like"

"-And what is it Mr. Zhao wants?", she loosened her grip, somewhat intimidated by his reaction.  
"I'm not sure yet, but he has great interest in the Babylon project. All I've heard so far are things unrelated to the Geneva underground. Not even to this continent from what the rumours say", Robert replied, happy to see her yield.  
"Rumours are dangerous Robert", she insisted.  
"But so very informative", he smiled and gulped down a large part of his beer. For a man of standing, he sure knew how to drink.

"So do you think they traffic in arms then?", Gladys poked around.  
"No, much bigger than that. I think it's not just the profit, but the principle"  
"The principle?"  
"I don't know... I just have that vibe", Robert paused.  
"Oh you and your vibe!"  
"Have I ever been wrong?", he questioned his friend.  
"Rarely, but still-"  
"No, not still. But hush it now. Let's go somewhere else where I can brief you on your next assignment. We have interested ears around us", Robert hinted at the group of three men sitting at the table nearest the bar.

Unfortunately he missed the Minbari in the corner of the room who already knew the whole story...

* * *

"Shai Alyt, the messages are very persistent. They are sending the request every five seconds now", Suveni informed his superior.  
"They can send as many as they like, I am not interested in speaking with a council of conniving maniacs", he referred to the meeting of several great military leaders from across the races that was being held at the same time.  
They wanted to speak with him urgently on the matter of intergalactic safety.

Rubbish.  
Probably just some trick to get him cornered. It had to be a trap of some kind, one too easy to fall for. Even the Humans did not know of the nature of the meeting — no Human general was present. Sounded an awful lot like a conspiracy.  
"I think we should go Naroon", Fara threw her point of view into discussion.  
"Even if it's just to get a look at their inferior technology and failing security systems, it may be an ideal opportunity to get our heads around what's going on down there. I don't presume the Satai will share the contents of this public secret with us"

Unfortunately Fara made a valid point. They had taken Delenn to Earth with big bells on as they were expected to, but what had they received in return? She hadn't even had the courtesy to let them know how the events were going down there. She didn't have to spill all the 'diplomatic issues', but just an "It's ok, we're doign well' would have been appreciated.

Naroon could not deny the feeling of rejection. He felt used, just like he always did whenever he did something for the Religious Caste. He had hoped this time would be different. A younger Satai, a fresh view... It started off good until they got too close to enemy territory.  
He doubted Dukhat would approve of that dismissive behaviour. Not that he had ever had the honour of meeting the Satai for more than his official Warrior initiation, but he figured.

When down there, they had considerable more opportunity to find out what the convention was about. Peeling the nose of some worked up alien generals should be no more difficult than shooting Stork (1)on Tala!

"Alright Fara, get in your ceremonial. We are going to Earth"  
Naroon's face was grim, but at the same time curious when he left the room to do the same.

* * *

Gladys panted as she ran down the hallway, getting away from security.

_"From now on I expect you to specialise'. That bastard! I'm still doing the same shitty jobs as before!_, she complained while running.  
_"But it's just a one time thing, plus I'll pay you extra. For old time's sake' _  
_Yeah right... _she moaned.

However she had not declined the assignment. This could be a test of faith for all she knew.  
Men, they're all the same once they get a taste of power.

She dashed around the corner and quickly climbed up some stacked supply boxes to disappear into an air shaft she had opened on her way there. At last, safety!

_Twenty minutes earlier in the conference room..._

"As the ambassador of the Centauri Republic I am happy to announce that my government agrees with the current formation and wishes the Human regime the best in finishing the preparations as quickly as possible so we can start benefiting from the station's advantages", the flamboyant ambassador Surkel Maray announced the approval of his people to the council, concluding the second day of debates.

The definitive council and opposition had been formed, the decrees were about to be signed. The tension in the air could almost be seen: everyone anticipated the unrolling of events.  
"I wonder what profit the Centauri governments assumes to gain from this. It must be considerable, given their quick thumbs up", Renati whispered to Delenn.  
Initially, the Satai was unnerved by the occasional remarks the Anla'Shok made, but once she accepted their blunt formula Delenn appreciated their value.

Renati did stress a valid point. The Centauri government never agrees to anything quickly, let alone something this big. There had to be big loot in it for them, something they didn't know of yet. Renati was bound to get to the bottom of it.

When the Centauri ambassador finished signing the document, he passed it on to the next ambassador to sign. All but the Vorlon and those not in the opposition signed the document. This gave the Humans the leverage to request the leave of all uninvolved species. If they didn't want to be part of it, they didn't need to be aware of it.

From then on, the meeting continued in private. Some more practical — and lighter digestible — things were discussed, such as an overview of the blueprint of the station including of course the ever so important location of the ambassadorial quarters.  
Both Minbari had to admit the Humans had tried finding the best possible diplomatic way out. Surely not an easy task. At least the Narn and Centauri were on the furthest ends of the station. Renati also noticed there was no room reserved for Human emissaries on that floor. They enjoyed a separate floor, how favourable.

When the meeting concluded, ambassador Sinclair insisted on the traditional shaking of hands to conclude the deal.  
"To wish it good fortune", he clarified and squeezed the hand of Ambassador G'Kar of the Narn Regime tightly. He was more gentle when handling the fragile Delenn, who advised him some wise words Renati missed. Her focus lay on ambassador G'Kar who walked up to Ambassador Maray.  
"If this station will bring prosperity and peace to all races, I do not want to be the one to jinx it. I wish to bless our inter-species relations with this Human gesture", he said and reached out his hand.

The Centauri hesitated, which no one blamed him for. G'Kar had not exactly shown to be the most flexible towards the Centauri, but now all of a sudden he was. Why the change of heart?  
"Perhaps the Gods of the past are smiling down on us", the hautaine man replied, but accepted his hand in friendship. Just when their palms locked, a heavy electrical surge emitted from ambassador G'Kar's glove, striking the Centauri's body hard.

Ambassador Maray instantly dropped to the ground, but before G'Kar could react Maray's entourage had already circled him and aimed their _ceremonial_ rapiers at his throat. The rapiers were the only weapons the guards were allowed, but it was all they needed.

The Narn ambassador stood befuddled besides the motionless body of his enemy the Centauri. Anyone with a conscience could see G'Kar had not expected this. The question was: had he expected for the effect to be more subtle or was he not aware of what would happen at all?

Satai Delenn shot up from her position when she witnessed the drama and rushed over to help.  
"Get a doctor in here, now!", ambassador Sinclair urged whoever was standing next to him. He threw himself on the situation like a responsible leader would.

However in all the commotion, he missed the understanding wink his assistant Robert gave one of the waitresses that had entered the room moments before the incident carrying drinks and beverages.

Renati did not miss it.

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Stork _(Adrenato)_: bestial creature that inhabits the wild planet of Tala. This planet is the home base for many of the live-action Warrior training camps.  
Recruits are sent into the woods on a certain mission, but are faced by many creatures on their way. Because of their century long combattance, the creatures have adapted to their predators and form very worthy adversaries. Their intelligence has grown and they too have adapted.  
The practices on the plant are quite controversial as the Religious Caste highly opposes such 'barbaric' practices, while the Warrior Caste stands united calling it an essential part of their training.


	40. Chapter 40: Sol part II

Sol: part II

Clad in impressive ceremonial garbs, Alyt Fara and Shai Alyt Naroon of the Shaibar'nik were welcomed on the landing strip near the compound on Earth. Fara noticed the augmented gravity once they left the ship, but did not let it harm her posture. Appearing gigantesque was of utmost importance were they to intimidate the other generals.

"The honoured military guests of the allied worlds and other non associated galactic forces are waiting for you inside the Juno compound", a Human soldier of no apparent rank welcomed them in English.  
Fara glanced at Naroon, somewhat unsure. She knew some English, but the man's accent was terrible. It should be a crime assigning someone like this with the task of welcoming aliens.  
"Nhri'tak, nusen'taal(1)", Naroon replied in Minbari. He was polite, as was expected from a person of rank, but he refused to speak the language. It was such a _common_ and numbing language.

Most Minbari had the feeling they can't express half of what they want to say in English, as their language involves combining the best out of three, depending on the situation. Their sentences obviously follow a grammatical logic, with the fundamental difference that at any time during the sentence the language can change. The subject may be referred to in Adrenato, while the verb is Lenn'A.

Adrenato is used for the more general and formal speech, while Lenn'A is the more descriptive of the three. It has very precise words for very specific situations. Probably the largest of the three languages.  
Lastly, Vik is used mostly in combat situations as well as commonly amongst Warriors. It is composed of more generally describing and shorter words, designed for efficient passing of orders in combat.

On some occasions, one of the languages is preferred to the other in order to honour the company. For example when a Religious acolyte speaks to a Master Crafter he will refer more to Lenn'A words than Adrenato for the duration of the conversation.

Naroon understood English, even the English as deformed as this by the accent, but was too proud to speak it. It was bad enough he had actually set foot on the planet he was once set out to torch.

"Please follow me", the young man paid no heed to the Minbari comment for he didn't understand them. He figured they would follow him anyway.

The hallways of the compound were unimpressive: cold and linear.  
_Just like their spaceships_.

It was as if there had been no pleasure in constructing the building, no finesse. Minbari may not have many personal ornaments and decorate soberly; they do so in part to honour the designer's work. The artistic value of the structure is brought to life at best with fewer distractions. A skill the Human race still has to discover apparently.

The soldier brought them to a room of which he opened the door with a handle before getting in. Again Fara and Naroon glanced at the oddities of the environment. They had not seen many of these before: simple doors.  
Inside they were greeted by a wide council of generals. Everything but Human generals were present: Narn, Centauri, Drazi, Brakiri and more — even Vree.

"Why have you asked for our presence here? Of all places", a clearly agitated Naroon addressed the suits sitting around the table in Minbari. If they were important enough to sit here, they probably got the gist of what he was saying.  
He and Fara remained standing at the head of the room, facing the table in its length.  
Fara stood next to him in order to create the illusion of equal rank, one of Naroon's favourite tricks. Half the races didn't even know how to decipher another's rank system. In this room he guessed only the Centauri, the Abbai and perhaps the Gaim could. You never know with those insectoids.

"What is in it for you?", a rather hostile reception came from the Brakiri. The Centauri based his eyes in shame of his fellow ranked officer's reaction, but offered no protest.  
"What kind of scheme are the Humans and Minbari planning together so close to all our territories?", the Brakiri continued.  
Humans and Minbari working together? This was going to be good!

" This so called 'peace station', is it a listening station to spy on our civilisations? Are the Minbari people planning on taking over our space? Is it a pre-emptive strike of some sort? ", the general continued with his unfunded allegations. You didn't need to be a seasoned warrior to read the terror in his eyes. This creature was afraid. Afraid of something he didn't understand.  
In light of better understanding the situation, Naroon withheld any answer.

"Why else would your government be funding this initiative were it not for some extra interest of your own?", it was the Drazi who added to the hostility this time.  
A Human peace station being funded by the Minbari? That was new. Fara tried hiding her surprise and refrained from posing a question.  
"You believe we Minbari can successfully cooperate with the Humans on a project of this magnitude?", Naroon tried to get an answer confirming his question rather than a reply to this rhetorical one.

"Of course. You're just here as a formality. 'Discussing rights and privileges', the sessions are a mockery! Everyone knows it will be the larger races that will have a say, the Minbari and Humans topping off the rest", a small creature Fara did not know the name of repelled.  
"If that is what you believe, why should I strain myself to change your point of view?", Naroon chose an unexpected tactic which unsettled the guests. Where was the resistance? The conviction? The Minbari fanaticism?

The Brakiri lost his patience and barked: "What kind of weapon does it have?"  
But when neither Minbari spoke up, it was the Drazi who snorted: "This is not amusing. I heard you never tell the whole truth, but nothing?"  
"If yo do not answer the questions, we will see this as an act of war! We will destroy the station as soon as it is finished", the Brakiri threatened.  
"By all means", Naroon replied calm and unreadable.

Muffled cries of protest accompanied by low grunts filled the table, but it did not unnerve the Minbari. On the contrary, their panicky behaviour was quite a funny sight.  
It was the Abbai, probably the only one who had actually paid attention to what and _how_ they had replied to the questions, that broke the commotion.  
"They are not going to share anything with us in this hostile environment. Instead of lunging at them, perhaps we should listen. Who knows, maybe the Minbari don't even know of the plans of their own government"

Naroon was amused at the Abbai's subtle hint. They are not to be underestimated these _fish people_. With a grin he replied: "At least one of you has a brain. Congratulations, you have earned a question"

The quite young admiral lifted from his seat and bowed respectfully. In pretty fluent alien Adrenato — that's what Warriors call the attempts of foreigners of speaking their language — he spoke: "I am Admiral La'Didahn of the Abbai delegation. My fellow generals of the league of non aligned worlds and others are worried that this peace station will be used for military purposes.  
They are worried about the involvement of your people, which is understandable since your government _is_ funding the station.

The council was wondering if there will be any Minbari technology aboard the station or if it is solely Human technology based"  
Naroon didn't even need a moment to think his answer through.  
"How many species have Minbari technology?"  
"Only one: we Minbari", he answered his own question.  
Aside from several whispers, the response lacked hostility.

"So what are your thoughts about the station", the Centauri tried.  
"Just one question. Now we get to ask you", Naroon protested.  
"Of course", he quickly apologised.

"Now that you know there will be no Minbari technology on the station—"  
"Or so you say", the Narn closest to the end of the table replied under his breath.  
Before anyone else could react, Fara had already dashed forward and broken his nose. Wailing in pain, the Narn fell off his chair, but Fara did not let go.  
"_No one_ questions the word of a Minbari. If this is to be a station of peace, you would do well to remember that"

None in the council opposed the sudden act of violence. In fact, there was a general sense of righteousness in the air — especially from the direction of the Centauri.  
"You were saying?", the general reinitiated the conversation.  
"If by the rules of the station you're not allowed to bring your own military along for the ride", he speculated, "how will you protect your ambassadors? Leave that over to the incompetent Human forces? What will you do?"  
Naroon's question generated no response, only worry, which was exactly what he wanted.

"So being as paranoid as you are and in light of recent revelations, which one of you will personally oversee the construction of the station?"  
Once again he tried for them to answer a question lying deeper than the surface.  
"The station has already been constructed. They're just finishing it up", the Drazi replied confused.

Blasted, he didn't expect that! That made them look silly, though most of the military geniuses did not seem to have gotten the clue.  
It was Fara who thankfully intervened with: "This is tiring, last question"

Against expectations, it was the Abbai who posed not a question, but his gratitude.  
"We thank you for your presence Shai Alyt and Alyt and hope not to have caused you any inconvenience. Thank you for easing our concerns"  
Naroon bowed and left the room, but was stalled by Fara going back to the Brakiri.  
"You! Sector 4 by 7 by 9: whatever you're doing there you better get it over with for it looks like nothing but trouble. Got it?"  
"Sector 4 by 7 by 9? That is Drazi space!", the Drazi next to him replied in protest before escalating into argument.

"That wasn't very nice of you", Naroon smiled at his friend when they strolled down the corridor.  
"I just gave them something else to focus on. Chances are good they _are_ misbehaving in that sector", she smiled.

* * *

"The only story here on ISN today: why did ambassador G'Kar of the Narn regime attempt such a public assault on the Centauri ambassador's life? What was racing through his mind at the time?

What are the chances of ambassador Maray making it out of his coma? Find out after these short messages"

Many followed the news broadcast on the local television station. Even ambassador Delenn had switched it on.

"Anla'Shok Renati. Tell me what you think of this new situation", the Satai asked her when she poured the female some tea in her quarters. It was another ritual they followed before the traditional evening buffet.  
Tea and summary of the day's events... bless the fresh leaved tea!

The evening banquet would proceed as foreseen, however with two guests less. Ambassador Maray -—obviously — was unavailable. They were still working to heal him, but had put him in an induced coma until his personal physicians got there. Cutting into him would raise large political issues for the Earthlings, a risk not worth taking.

Ambassador G'Kar was still in custody being questioned by the human police. Another prickly situation for obviously the Centauri government was at their throats demanding answers, while the Narn officials stuck by the innocence of their ambassador.

"You are in need of my opinion Satai?", Renati replied respectfully surprised.  
"Whether I am in need of it or not does not matter. The mere fact that I ask should be motivation enough to answer", Delenn held back a child at the end of the sentence; Renati did not react well to belittling — and she was really interested in what the Anla'Shok had to say.

"The Narn is innocent", she said bluntly.  
"You appear convinced", Delenn challenged her point of view.  
"He is too smart to attempt something this stupid. There are a million other ways — more efficient and less exposing ones — he could have followed. I have found no trace of a personal feud between the two, so it cannot be motivated by personal revenge.  
That and the timing was all wrong. The Centauri passed after signing the document, not before. Whoever wanted for this conflict to arise, wanted for the Babylon project to be a fact nonetheless. All they had to do was wait until the right opportunity presented itself.  
In short: I think he was framed", Renati replied.  
"Which outside player would benefit from this?"  
"No one directly, that's why I believe it is an act of terrorism"

Delenn shivered at the thought of it. It was one of the things that scared her about other races. Their ability to be that fanatic to conduct irresponsible acts blemishing the reputation of their fellow men as well and endangering the lives of innocents.  
Not that a Minbari couldn't do that given the right motivation — Delenn was simply in denial of that.  
She saw them as much more than they really were. The Satai carried this ideal vision of the perfect society already in existence. As no one had the heart to confront her otherwise, she buried herself deeper and deeper in that belief.

"Terrorism...", she gasped.  
"It's the only explanation that makes sense", Renati emphasised.  
"But if ambassador G'Kar is not the terrorist, then who is?"

* * *

That night Robert disappeared after the buffet, early as was becoming a custom. Renati readied herself for another rally of chase after being pardoned without any objection from Satai Delenn. She was convinced this man and his brood were behind the earlier attack.

If not them, who else?

She had not dashed off after Gladys' disappearance from the conference room to avoid too much attention. Robert would go and see her eventually. All she needed to do was stay close to him, in the shadows.

Renati sat in a different carriage this time. She knew where he was headed anyway, no need for being too conspicuous. Humans, so predictable.

As expected Robert followed the same path as the night before, though he had less resistance from Jonesy. Renati applied the same trick on the dumb-witted monkey as the previous night: she heated up the nearby drug dealers into a riot with one another in front of the door to the complex. Just as yesterday, Jonesy came running out guns blazing for them to shut their... — well she wasn't sure where those were, but apparently they had them — 'holes'.  
All the Anla'Shok needed was that momentum to get in.

Twice in a row, too easy.

* * *

She took the other corner as a preference that night. Why? No idea. Again, not to be too noticed. She even risked a drink, after scanning the thing thoroughly under her garment. Bless human faulty lighting.

There was a gathering this night with more of Clayton's — now Robert's — men. He was explaining some battle plan to them about the extortion of aldermen and the elimination of that lawyer — the usual.  
So far no talk of the assault on ambassador Maray's life.

Gladys sat close to Robert's side, very close actually.  
_It's all in the promotion_, Renati figured the filthy habit of the Humans. That was another concept she had never been able to grasp. How women as much as men sleep around to get their way. It's not even primitive, it's barbarous!

Her dark red lipstick stood out against her curly dark brown hair, even in all the fumes of cigarettes and smoke.

_I'm going to regret this, _Renati thought as she felt a cough coming up. Blasted filthy habits of theirs!  
No one noticed her in the racket of voice calling and glass clinging, nevertheless it was a terrible place for a stake-out.  
She couldn't be more releaved when the wholesome got up and left the cafÃ©.

They did not exit to the streets, but split up into groups around the building. Gladys and another man accompanied Robert which made it interesting enough for Renati to follow.  
"I expect the mission went well", she heard a voice ask Robert.  
"Yes everything went according to plan. I told you I would no disappoint", Robert replied.  
"Does any suspect otherwise?"  
"No, they all think he did it. Thankfully for us the previous debate was rather heated, making him the perfect suspect", Robert eased the mind of his superior.  
"Alright. Await further instructions"  
"If I may ask: what do we gain from the Centauri and Narn being at war again?", Robert wondered.  
The voice waited for a moment to reply, as if considering whether or not to respond, but then did: "The more races are in war with one another, the less they focus on us. Perhaps they will get the message and leave us alone. There can never be enough war"  
After that he hung up the phone.

_The phone? I heard that?_ Renati was amazed at her hearing when she focused. Probably just another side effect.  
The threesome continued into the compound, venturing further away from their meeting place.

Keeping her distance was hard, for the corridors were narrow and long. She was easily noticed, but risked losing them if they walked too far off.  
The Anla'Shok opted for the safer option and relied on her heat scanning radar for location.

Suddenly they stopped.  
What in Valen's-

"There he is! Get him!", Robert's voice called out while pointing in Renati's direction.

They knew?!? How could they know?  
Renati pivoted on her heel for escape, but goons were already approaching her from behind. Stuck in the narrow corridor she did all she could: pick a side and dash all out.  
The men drew their weapons, but were too slow to avoid Renati's reflexes. With augmented speed she dashed forward and disarmed them. She used the walls as a push-off to leap to the hanging lamp.

The swing of the thing pulled her from her disarmed assaulters towards the others, where she dropped down, Denn'Bok first. The left one got the full blow of it, while the right met with her right knee. A well-placed elbow knocked him out of his senses.  
She had no time to think of efficiently killing them. There was no need to. As long as they were no longer a bother, she would be fine.

But how had they known she was there?  
When she ran down the corridor in pursuit of Robert, another four approached her. Without much thought of oppression she dashed for them as well, but suddenly hesitated.

_A telepath?_

The young telepath looked just as shocked as Renati was when she viciously approached them and their minds touched.  
Reacting in the momentum, Renati flicked her Denn'Bok against the closest assaulter, but misjudged the distance of the second. His weapon, a stick with that lovely _electricity_ coming from it hit her on the arm, resulting her to drop the weapon. The human saw his chance and took a swing at her, but Renati dodged.  
A blow from the side did strike her, quite painfully. She felt the static crawl across her skin, but blessed Kujar for giving her the special armour. Her memory reacted to the shock with the telepathical blowing-backwards-of-the-assaulter, but then she fell back.

She had to control herself. She could not show an ounce of her special ability. If the Humans found out one way or the other there are Minbari with 'special powers' she could unchain another political disaster — if not a war.  
Satai Delenn would have her bone.

Renati moaned deep when another strike of the front assaulter's lightning-stick struck her chest, but the armour took most of the damage.  
"He's not going down! Do something!", the man wailed at the telepath, but that one refrained from action.  
Renati lost her patience and slid her now bladed armguards across the chest of the man. He screeched while leaping backwards, but was finished by the other arm cutting across his throat before hitting the floor.

Naturally green-hued eyes pierced those of the telepath, who stood in a strange position: ready to attack, but defensive at the same time.

_He has no idea what I am_, Renati realised.

"Kyle, what are you waiting for? Take him down you idiot!", Robert — who wondered why no one had come back to report — urged from afar.  
"He-he's not human boss", an unsure voice replied.  
"I don't care if he's Human or Dilgar, fry him!", the underground specialist ordered.  
"I c-can't! He's.. my god he's blocking me!", he screeched when Renati approached with open hand.  
"Freeze!", Robert yelled his now target. An old magnum calibre was aimed at the Minbari.

"Move one more step and I will shoot!"  
Renati stood frozen. She had neither the intention of getting shot or killing Robert. She needed him for information on the assault. But how to get out of this?

"Look, you obviously have some skill. Taking out six of my best men-"  
"Seven", Renati's cold voice showed Robert there was motive to the chase.  
"Listen, I don't know what you want, but this is my terrain. If you're one of Milano's, tell him he can come and take it up with me personally. Clayton is no more, I'm a much more reasonable man than he was", Robert paused for an expected positive reply, but when it failed to come he continued: "But don't kill Kyle"

Renati's green eyes locked on the telepath again, who all the while had been very busy putting up a defence against the intrusion in his mind. Sweat drops rolled off his temples in effort, but the Human did not give up.

Of course he did not know it was all a diversion. She just wanted him to think she wanted to get in but couldn't.  
Renati had long ago entered his mind and taken what she wanted. In a split second even — he wasn't exactly the toughest opponent. Unregistered telepath she figured.  
What is they call them? Teeps?

Kyle hadn't seen Renati in the compound, it was someone else they had detected. But who else besides her was there?

Renati studied the scene well, pondering on what to do. It was Robert who made a mistake by taking two skittish steps with that irritating walk of his in her direction.  
Startled by something moving in the corner of her eye, Renati moved and Robert reacted.

Bang!

For the second night in a row a bullet hit flesh in the Clayton building. Renati closed her eyes when they flashed blue from the rage of the cold metal penetrating the muscle in her thigh, but could not hold back a scream.  
By the ancients that hurt! She could almost feel the corrosion of the metal in her blood, it was awful!

The Anla'Shok lost her balance and fell to the floor as soon as Robert hit her. With it, she unlocked Kyle from the brain trap she had him in, jesting him to the floor as well.  
Robert dashed over to his victim, who was momentarily out if it due to the pain infatuation.

His initial reaction was flipping of the hood that concealed the man's face, but then leapt backwards.  
"Minbari?!?"

Startled on his feet he lifted his gun again, but doubted. A dead Minbari, how would he explain that? But a wounded one could run and tell. At least he could get rid of a dead one.  
_I bet they burn just as easily_

Just as Robert overcame his doubt, smoke filled the corridor and a blunt object hit him on the temple, sending him into forced slumber. Seconds later, the confused telepath was overpowered by hands smothering him to the same fate as his boss.

_Who coul- Varas!_

"What are you doing here?", Renati panted as her friend helped her on one leg. It was a good thing she wore black, for the wound was bleeding heavily onto the fabric. She needed help, quickly.  
"I had it on good authority you were on a mission to Earth", she said, limping Renati out of the building.  
"And you decided to tag along?"  
"No complaining or you would have had an early reunion with your dearest lost", she put her friend on her place.  
"Where did you get a smoke grenade anyway?", Renati complained — a sign she would make it through Varas knew. If she weren't complaining when injured, then she'd worry.  
"Courtesy of Kujar", Varas smiled. "Bless his protection"

"Kujar? When did you-"  
"What you think I flew here in a Nial?"  
"No I figured Akel-"  
"Nopes. The Tiris"  
"Did anyone know?"  
"Oh you have no idea how efficient Warriors are at keeping secrets. One would say we taught them well", Varas smirked, "But enough of that. Straighten yourself and get on the train. We need to get you away from here"

"Great. How will I explain _this_ to Satai Delenn?", Renati moaned.  
"You won't need to. I will take over your tasks"  
Renati blinked in surprise: "You can't do that! People will ask questions"  
"No they won't. It's perfectly normal for an ambassador to have more than one assistant. Besides, they'll probably think you've changed bone or something. Valen knows the oddities they believe we are capable of", Varas shivered in memory of an overheard conversation.  
"What about them?", Renati nudged her head back to the building.  
"Nothing we can do about it now, but that's another reason you should no longer be Delenn's public assistant. What if he recognises you?"  
"What if he notices the switch?", Renati worried, but Varas failed to answer. Worries for later. Have her heal first.

* * *

Naroon was shocked by the intense sensation of Renati's grateful lips on his. He hadn't expected for her initial reaction to be this passionate, especially not after being shot.  
He had rushed down to the medical bay once Hakarai had given him the clearance to do so. The Worker Caste had been running up and down the ship worried with Renati's vitals. His long distance monitoring device showed a high spike in heart rate and blood pressure, followed by a dazzling descent.

Renati had been in care for a couple of hours. She suffered from minor tetanus poisoning from the metal round in her thigh just above her knee, but her immune system was beating it out of her body with unseen strength. Master Hakarai was puzzled by Renati's recovery as usual, though the confusion was slowly making place for fascination.  
With proper care she would be up and about in one to two weeks.  
Incredible!

The Shai Alyt was happy he had come alone to see her, for he had not he would have needed to refrain her from kissing him so invitingly. He could even allow himself the luxury of enjoying it and kissing her back.  
It almost hurt for her to let go, but she had to were she to speak to him.  
"Thank you for coming"

Naroon chuckled. "Thank you for coming? You get shot in the leg and that's what you have to say for it?"  
"I'm sorry", she said and held onto his hand when he leaned onto the bed.  
"You should be. What you did was irresponsible and dangerous", he told her off. He wasn't angry with her, but more worried. She got away with it this time, but next time she may not be that lucky. He would have to diminish that risk somehow.

"It's what we Anla'Shok do, Naroon. We take a risk to get information", she explained.  
"Not when you're part of my crew, not anymore", he ordered.  
"What do you mean?", she detected the change in his tone of voice.  
"When you go on such a dangerous endeavour, you _never _go without backup", he stressed.  
"I wasn't without backup, Varas was there", Renati defended herself.  
"You didn't know that, which makes it irrelevant. You did not have a backup plan. You went into the lair of the beast with bait but no weapon. There was not much you could have done by yourself", he explained the gravity of her error. "I'm sorry...", she admitted.  
She wasn't going to get off the hook so easily. Naroon cared for her, allowing for her to get hurt was too risky. Besides, she acted as part of the crew when on the ship, time to start treating her that way.  
He reached over to her armguard and swapped something on it. She missed exactly what he did, but awaited the explanation.  
"From now on, you will not go anywhere unguarded. You will have someone who watches over you at all times. You are bound to each other until I see it fit for your punishment to end. If you disobey this order, you could be found unfit for Alyt status"

His threat was harsh, but he know that with Renati only the shock effect would work. Everything else she would rebel against. She valued her Alyt status too much, not for the title but for whom she had been granted it from. The great Branmer, what an honour.

"You wouldn't—"  
"I will if I have to. Make sure I don't Renati. Do as every Warrior does: accept punishment and be grateful for this chance of rectification?"  
"But I am Religious", she used her last refuge.  
"Not when you're on this ship. Then you're part of the crew, inclusive of all duties and privileges"

To his surprise she didn't protest. She actually respected his authorotiy, who would have thought!  
"Don't worry, you will enjoy yourself. I will see you when you're ready"  
"Ready?", she wondered, but Naroon just smiled. He squeezed her hand and left the room, off to his other duties of the day.

* * *

"What in Valen's name did you do to get stuck with me?", Moran asked Renati when she lay down on the matte on the floor.  
"Stuck with you? How am I stuck with you?", she wondered and took off her right shoe.  
"Lie back it will hurt less that way", he helped her before continuing the conversation.

Moran's main duty consisted of treating wounded Warriors after their initial hela'mer treatment. He was in charge of following up the rehabilitation of the wounded and aided in that with personal assistance of course. You could say he was some kind of a physiotherapist with extended jurisdiction.  
He would make sure Renati would walk the way she walked before she got shot, that nothing re-grew in the wrong way and that she did not get too far behind or ahead of herself. Timing was essential for a good recovery.

"Well, I am your punishment remember? I am the one you're bound to", he explained.  
Renati chuckled and smiled.  
"Well I could've done worse. You appear to be an enjoyable person"  
Moran smiled back as he gently pushed Renati's leg backwards over her abdomen, measuring how far he could bring it.

"I don't think you understand it. We are bound to be around each other until he thinks you've learned your lesson"  
"You're right, I don't understand", Renati replied puzzled and winced when Moran brought her leg back a little too far.  
"You cannot go anywhere without me until your punishment is over"  
"So wherever I go, you?"  
"Or the other way around, yes", Moran clarified.

"That's an odd punishment", she found.  
"Odd but effective. Especially after a longer period of time", Moran spoke.  
"Do I detect a hint of prior experience?"  
"Not prior, current even. Twenty nine cycles of it..."  
"You have been bound to someone for twenty nine cycles?", she squeaked.

"Yes. I too got myself into a situation I would not have had I been alone", he explained.  
"But you're always with-"  
"Hence Kujar", Moran explained while Renati got the picture.  
"So what did you do?", curiosity got the better of her. Moran smiled but evaded the question.  
"I will tell you once you're ready for the answer"

Renati dropped her head back onto the matte and sighed: "Seems that everyone believes I am too inexperienced these days"  
Moran merely smiled as he helped her into the next exercise. He hoped she would be ready for him to tell her someday, for if his suspicions about her and the Shai Alyt were true she would have to be in order to avoid major conflict.

"How closely are we bound Moran?"  
"I think Naroon set it to ten meters to start with. He usually does that in order to get you to really understand the punishment"  
"Ten meters? That means-"  
"Yups, better find a new place to sleep. Unless Varas doesn't mind swapping", he joked.  
"What happens if we disobey?", she wondered.  
"Why don't you get up and try. You can use the crutches to walk"

Moran helped Renati up and wincingly waited for her to cross the boundary of ten meters. As soon as she exceeded it, she got a mild jolt in her arm.  
"Ouch!", she yelped and dashed backward, losing balance and falling over. Of course Moran came to help her up, albeit sniffling from the sight.  
"The further you go, the more painful they get"  
"Is there a limit?"  
"Until its knocks you out cold"

Renati winced for a moment, but looked even more distraught when Moran spoke: "Look on the bright side: he could have teamed you up with Fara"

* * *

Five more days had passed, the Tiris well on its way to Minbar one Satai and Anla'Shok lighter. They had been granted the honour of transferring Satai Delenn back to the Valen'tha while Varas had been dropped off near Jericho on route to the Deneth regime for the continuation of her mission as an Anla'Shok.

She was to aid a colleague down there with the gathering of some delicate information.  
Renati would have offered to go in her place, were it not for her leg still being a pain. Varas deserved some rest, but then again didn't they all?

On Earth things were getting back to normal. The commotion around the alien visitors had dampened, though the officials were still looking for the responsible parties of the _incident. _  
Ambassador G'Kar was still being held in questioning, though the large convoy of Narn ships gathering behind Earth's moon would probably be leverage enough to give him full diplomatic immunity.  
The Human authorities were too focused on past events, none of them had any idea of how close the growing danger lay.

* * *

Robert's place was just as dark and gloomy as the others in the district. Paint peeling off the walls while the fungus in the left corner made for an interesting pattern. The new crime lord really needed a new place to stay, although this place had its advantages. They wouldn't come looking for him here. No person in their right mind would willingly live here.

Nothing about it mattered much though. He only came here to sleep anyway. Well, sleep and everything that came with it — whenever she felt like it of course.

"You promised something more challenging", Gladys complained from above.  
Robert was both surprised and annoyed at her statement. Surprised because it had been a very dangerous operation, annoyed because what she was doing felt good — but now she stopped to _talk_.  
"You found smuggling inter-reactive poison on two different garments of two highly guarded individuals not challenging enough?", he replied while his hands cupped her waist suggestively for her to continue.  
She moaned, but not from enjoyment.  
"I paid you double, I made sure you had free passage back _and_ I'm giving you that good doing you needed. What else do you want woman?", he got seriously irritated. This is not how he had pictured the night. When Gladys showed up at 1 am at his door their was only one thing she wanted: sexual relief. Why did she suddenly change to emotional relief?

"I want more", she complained and sat up, letting the blanket slide off her shoulders.  
"What more of would my Gladys like then?", he tried appeasing her.  
"Responsibility"

Robert took a hold of the naked woman's hand and pulled her towards him.  
"Do you think you're ready for more responsibility?"  
"I managed getting here didn't I?", she spoke, curling on top of him.  
"Yes, no thanks to this one here"  
"Exactly", she smiled mischievously. "Who else would you confide in? You have no one who knows you longer and _deeper_ than I do", she said while curling her body against his. Her lips were inches away from his, taunting him to do something about it.  
She didn't realise however he enjoyed her blackmail royally, for this is exactly what he had figured she would do.

She was right, he didn't have anyone else who fitted the profile, there was only her, but there was no reason to tell her that. Now that she had the illusion that he was still in doubt, he got the extras that came with it. He got _this_.

"Tomorrow you will set into motion the first step of the Sassanid project. I will also need you to holster some people to find out more about that Minbari that slipped through our fingers. Perhaps he's still somewhere around"

* * *

"Renati, can I see you in recovery room four please?"  
It was Shai Alyt Naroon's voice on her arm guard.  
"O-of course", she replied and looked at Moran, who had been no further than ten meters apart the last couple of days.

Her recovery was going well. She could not walk without support yet, but she could flex her leg well. As long as she didn't put any weight on it, it functioned perfectly, but once pressure was applied it was still too painful.  
The many exercises and treatments had been a real help. She was amazed by the intense level at which Warriors were supported in this. The Anla'Shok really needed a similar system. It happened too often that they are sent out again on a mission with not enough recovery time. Then again, that's mostly because there simply are too few of them.

As for the punishment: she was starting to understand the pain of forced company for such a long time. Not that Moran wasn't a likeable person, but everyone needs time to themselves. She had migrated to the quarters next to him and meditated on the wall on the other side of his bed when he slept in order to avoid getting zapped.

While they were walking towards the treatment part of the ship, Moran got bleeped by Fara.  
"Please attend the meeting on deck"  
"Orders are orders", he sighed and headed the other way bracing for impact, but the shock never came.

_Extending the range already? He sure is lenient!_

Renati passed the cleansing rooms, bubble jet tubs, sonic ray therapy tables and what not before coming to recovery room four. Not only did the Warriors have excellent follow up after injury, they also had the best facilities.  
This Sharlin Cruiser had an entire wing devoted to the recovery of injuries. It was no surprise that it served not only for its current crew, but also for the crew on the smaller support vessels. Not all ships had the space for such an installation.

In the room there was a horizontal oriented well-padded bed and a cabinet with several liquids, tools and candles on it. With a warm smile Naroon welcomed Renati.  
"How are you feeling?", he said as he took one of her crutches.  
"Better, but not best just yet. I guess I shouldn't complain", she smiled.  
"With your recovery time? No you shouldn't", he shook his head and gestured for her to get on the bed.

He was clad in lose garments a teint darker than pure white, with no sign of rank or weapons. He wasn't even carrying his arm guards, which was a sight Renati had to get used to. Normally his shirt would be swallowed away around his elbow, but now it hung there nice and spacey.  
"How's Moran's treatment going? Well I hope, he's the best on the ship", Naroon spoke as he walked over to the cabinet. He took out a liquid and brought it to Renati's nose.  
"Like it?"

She took in the gentle scent of the lotion and smiled instantly. "That would be lovely"  
"Good. It's a lotion my sister gave us in the War. It has helped cure many a wound", he reminisced, "It activates the remaining blood vessels in the damaged tissue and helps with a faster regeneration of the others"  
"Sounds promising", she said when she realised what he was up to, or at least she assumed he was going to give her leg a personal treatment.  
"May I?", he asked before taking off her shoe.

Renati lay back when she felt his fingers run under her trousers up to her knee. He pulled the loose fabric up as far up her thigh as the density allowed, just enough for him to treat the wound.  
"It's been a while since I've done this, but it's not every day such a special patient presents itself", he admitted with a wry smile.  
"Naroon...", she worried.  
"Oh you'll be alright. I remember the essentials and I'm sure the details will come back to me somewhere along the line", he grinned but then returned to his professional self.

He poured some of the lotion on his hands as well as on the area of the wound after carefully disinfecting it — an action that couldn't be done often enough. His fingers were strong and flexible, excellent for moulding the muscle.  
With every squeeze and release she felt relief, more so than normal. It was probably the lotion working efficiently, though she didn't rule out the fact that it was Naroon massaging her in the first place that made her feel so at ease.

There was something about him that was so calming, but another that was so... _exciting_ at the same time. Whenever his fingers slid under her tucked up fabric to push it back into place she tensed from the sensation. She was uneasy with herself from these inappropriate feelings. What was the matter with her? She wasn't like this when Moran treated her.  
Of course Moran's strokes were different... not so.. so — well, she couldn't place it.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you", Naroon tried easing her with some conversation when he noticed her unsettlement. It was not his intention to distress her.  
She smiled and waited an instant before asking: "Who was your last then?"  
"I'm sorry?", he replied confused.  
"Earlier you said you haven't done this in a while, who was your last _patient_ before me?", she wondered.  
"Oh like that, hehe. Fara was my last", he spoke and asked her to lay on her side before continuing.

"She got jabbed with one of those tasers in the War, very nasty wound. It did quite some nerve damage, so she had a heavy recovery. We were serving on the Ritanel under Shai Alyt Myana at that moment suffered from a shortage of crew due to an earlier incident. It was one of the Workers there who taught me how, as all the Warriors were in the field"

"I didn't know that the Worker Caste engaged in the art of recovery", Renati replied.  
"Many did during the War. They had to, for there were not enough Warriors to do so.  
I believe the Religious Caste still doesn't realise the losses we suffered from the Humans. Sure we killed more of them in comparison, but there were less of us to begin with. We are a diminishing Caste and a dying race Renati, but I'm waiting for the Council to realise that", he spoke grimly.

She didn't want for the conversation to get too depressing, but was intrigued by his stories. It was not often she heard anyone speak in such detail about the War. It was usually a Warrior thing, so she would make the most of it now.  
"You haven't served on the Tiris for your entire career then?", she asked.  
"I have on and off", he answered, "but the Tiris was almost destroyed. It was an early attack of the Humans, really stupid. Single convoy, one ship left standing.  
Suddenly they launched some kind of cylinder shaped objects from their vessel. It being the last ship standing, we figured they were life pods, so our Shai Alyt held fire. It was only when the things made course for our ship and impacted that we realised they were weapons"

"I never knew...", Renati replied, unsure what to say.  
"We suffered heavy losses that day. Many souls, including that of our Shai Alyt left us then. Fara had tried persuading the officers in charge to fire, but to no avail. We both believed they were no threat and did not see the glory in shooting life pods"

"You were Alyt then?"  
"Yes, and Fara was the leader of the fighter squadron. She was out there, we should have listened to her, but that's what War's all about — experience", Naroon was sad when he spoke of it, but not bitter. He accepted death and defeat for what it was.  
This was not a cowardly attack, it was a fair fight in which they misinterpreted the enemy. They made a mistake and it cost them lives. A very logical conduct of combat.

"My condolences to the Shai Alyt's Sala or Mala", she added respectfully.  
"I will pass them on", he smiled, "She's my grandmother who retired after that battle, understandably"  
"I'm sorry it wasn't my intention to surface painful memories", Renati apologised.  
"Don't worry, if I would not wish to speak of them I would hold them in silence", he reassured her and turned her over again.

"There you go. How does it feel?"  
"Rejuvenated, intensely", she admitted.  
"Good, it means the lotion is taking its effect. Try standing on it", he said and stood in front of her when she got off the bed.  
She did not feel pain until she put her foot on the floor. It wobbled out of balance and threw her off, but Naroon was quick enough to grab her and placed her back on the bed.

"Too early", she smiled, enjoying the protective feeling of his hands on her waist.  
"Don't worry, it won't be long before you're up and running. You just need some more rest", he had to focus on his words for he too was unexpectedly caught by the opportunistic situation.

All alone, no one to see them and a very receptive Religious Caste in in front of him.  
What to do?

But she beat him to it. It was Renati who placed on hand in his neck and pulled his lips down to hers.  
"I've missed you so", she whispered between kisses.

Their embrace was more confident than before, one would even daresay more passionate, though Renati was still in conflict with herself about that.  
Part of her screamed that she should control herself and hold back on everything she was feeling and thinking, but the other — larger — part of her insisted she let go and just explore where it takes them.

There was nothing to fear, his intentions were pure — of that she was certain — but where were they going?

Could they be together?  
Could it work, the union of a Religious Caste and a Warrior?  
Or was there some kind of middle ground they should follow?

What of his rank and reputation? Would she not be an eternal blemish on those? Was it a risk he was willing to take?

From the stroking of his fingers on her side and neck she bet it was. He was very skilled with his fingers: every touch and stroke carefully planned out along a route that brought her... excitement.

She countered this with, albeit less prepared, strokes of her own. She slid her fingers across his back again to his side, while being locked in his embrace. They continued over his chest and then down his arm again to where the fabric ended on his wrist. Something in her failed withholding her from going further, so she gently advanced her fingers under his sleeves.  
Naroon's kisses stopped for an instant and he looked at her. Renati looked back, even when he closed his eyes as her fingertips carefully stroke over the inside of his arms up to his shoulders. Once there, she could no longer continue under the fabric, so descended over his back and pressed herself against him lightly.

Though inside he was a bit at a loss at this sudden display of passion, he did not reject her and returned the feeling.  
With short pauses their lips met on and off in a battle for the most entangling embrace. He was surprised at the level of emotional expression she possessed. As a Religious Caste he expected her to be more... shy. Perhaps it's all that bottled up passion.

He didn't complain, just lost himself in the moment. Supporting her jaw with one hand he grinned when he felt her tongue looking for his. Naught girl!  
Was she leaning back?

The pressure of Renati's fingers increased as they descended along his back, but together with a leg wrapped lightly around him aroused Naroon more than he intended for her to do so.

The Religious Caste part of her suddenly woke up and abruptly halted their passion play. Shock filled the innocent but guilty eyes of the female, though he wasn't sure if she was shocked about his _reaction _or the fact that she let herself get so far so fast.  
Actually, even Renati didn't know what part she was upset about.

Naroon couldn't help chuckle at the incredibly silly situation.  
"This is going to sound strange, but it's nothing personal", he started, which just added to the befuddlement of his lover.  
"I have more self control than that, but not when you press down certain spots at the right time", he admitted, "Then I no longer control my disguise of certain emotions"

He figured it was better to confront her with it. What use was there in concealing the truth? Of course she aroused him! Wasn't that a good thing? Sure he hadn't intended on showing her that early just how badly he wanted her, but there you go, the universe works in mysterious ways.

Renati smiled back and felt at ease against her own expectations. Him admitting to their communal passion took some of her barriers away.  
"I'm sorry", she admitted, "I shouldn't have-"  
But Naroon shushed her. "Don't be sorry, you did and by Shintavi I hope in the future you will again. However for today that was not my intention, I just did not expect such a _positive_ reply", he shoved some of the guilt in her shoes — rightfully so.

Renati smiled with a sigh of relief when he held her in his arms.  
"Sweet little Anla'Shok"

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Nhri'tak _(Vik)_ nusen'taal _(Adrenato)_: We will find our way, thank you

* * *

Next chapter:** Laying down the ground rules**

Coming soon!


	41. Chapter 41: Laying down the ground rules

**Laying down the ground rules**

"How was the meeting in the Sol system?", Chu'Domo requested the information from the Warrior who had barely just joined them.  
"Informative", she said and helped herself to her favourite variant of the various teas on display. She took ample time to savour the taste of the warm liquid and leave her colleagues hungry. A technique she secretly enjoyed, for the females had little forbearance. Oorehak (1)was alright, but Chu'Domo and Mir had the patience of a squirrel.

"Anything notable to be told?", Mir insisted as soon as Myana's lips left the cup.  
"Everything is mentioned in the Shai Alyt's report. It's very thorough", she avoided the question.  
"The answer we want to hear is not in those files, Shaibar'nik", Mir insisted.  
"That is because the case is inconclusive"  
An irritated sigh followed from the two elderly females. Clearly they had expected some more _fruitful_ feedback.

"But can the matter be pressed?", Oorehak asked with due patience when Myana sipped her tea once again.  
"Shai Alyt Naroon reported that she was very _driven_ to pursue the matter herself, even for a Satai. She seemed hungry around every issue involving the Humans, even went through some old files before _and_ after the visit as far as the logs tell us. She carried several more scrolls with her, but the contents of those are unknown", Myana elaborated to her private council.  
"Excellent. That means her interest only needs a push in the right direction in order for the Council to be rid of her", Mir spoke her opinion bluntly.

It was no secret that Satai Delenn had as many supporters as she had opponents, however it is not appropriate to publicly utter one's preference. Mir kept her thoughts for herself and the Circle.

Delenn was not a bad person per se, but her vision was too… progressive to Mir's liking. The young Satai had the tendency to throw rather radical suggestions into the Council, to the great joy of some, but frustration of more.  
As she is the chosen of Dukhat, it would be inappropriate to deprive her of her title, however if she is not near the people, she can not cause commotion amongst them.

The Babylon 5 project was the perfect opportunity for the pawns shifting into place.  
Mir had rallied both Chu'Domo and Myana in her cause, only Oorehak remained reluctant.  
There were however many of the ideas that she liked, thus a deal had been forged: they would attempt to remove Delenn from her place in the council, without taking away her title.  
She would still have an effect on the people, but being stationed away from them, her influence would slowly stagnate. The perfect opportunity for some fresh — more obedient — blood to take her place in the council.  
A bulletproof plan according to Mir.

"Alright, I will talk to some people and set things in motion. She will volunteer to be the official _ambassador_ of the Minbari people in no time", Mir commented before the Circle moved to the next item on the agenda.

* * *

Ikaffa III was a barren planet in the Ikaffa system with a horrible climate. Everything on the surface looked dirty, from the dust on the rocks to the murky brown water filling the few rivers and lakes it had. With thirty degrees Celsius being the average daily temperature, Varas wished she had given the mission to someone else.

_This is what we recruit Humans for_, she cursed in the blistering heat.  
She had been called down there by Vim, a young Anla'Shok that — as her own words marked — had made an amazing discovery. Rathenn saw potential in the discovery, so sent an experienced Anla'Shok over to confirm.

Vim had found that the species inhabiting the planet have a remarkable religion based on the â Death spikes'. According to older scrolls from this species, they have only converted a little over a hundred years back, when the spikes surfaced from the water after a major earthquake on the planet.

Ever since then, they both worship and fear the Death Spikes. They even use it for capital punishment: when a crime has been committed that requires the death sentence, the culprit is put on a boat to the structure and is obliged to touch it.  
Touch triggers an instant, but incredibly painful death. It is rumoured that there are very little witnesses when these sentences are carried out because of the horrifying scream that fills the surroundings when it happens.

Vim found that the description of the Death Spikes, both appearance as well as power, resembles the dark power of the Ancient Enemy. Being the good Anla'Shok, she called for help.

"It's just up ahead", the young acolyte assured her superior. They were travelling by public transport… Ikaffan public transport.  
Let's say for the sake of comparison, the Ikaffan culture has evolved to the level the Human culture was in the 1980s, technological as well as on a scientific level.

They have little prior experience in space, have basic electronic material and a crappy public transport system. Most engines run on carbon-based fuels, are pollutive and non-efficient. With a temperature that high, it's not the best environment for a Minbari to be in.  
Plus the carriage was dirty.

Their pollutive behaviour increases the fragile planet's continuing decay. The Ikaffans suffer from a high water deficiency as most of the planet's natural supply evaporates due to the high temperatures. Of course, the high temperatures are only pushed higher by the befoulment of the air, leaving the civilization in a vicious circle until their impending doom.

It was a fact neither Vim nor Varas could find pity for. Every race had to pass through the stage where they realise they need to live in harmony with their planet and adjust their habits.  
One can't go around stealing every natural resource a celestial body has to offer and live happily ever after. If they cannot get by the moral and technological issues of that stage, their species is not worthy to continue.  
Perhaps cruel, but a very accurate vision of the truth.

The people were cooperative only for their own interest. They were hungry for information about the Minbari's technology. They would steal anything they could get their hands on — a new behaviour pattern Vim still had to get used to.

"Have you been to many planets around the universe?", Vim spoke like a youngling on her first trip out.  
"Yes, but I tend to stay away from the ones like these. I hope these Death Spikes of yours are worth the trip. I was supposed to be on a moon near Nochtal. Though its winds are rough, but at least it's cool there", she complained. To her own surprise she found that her focus on her discomfort lay very high. Usually she was more easygoing.

_I've spent too much time around Renati_, she figured.

The train came to a sudden halt upon arriving in the station. Half the carriage was shaken from one end to the next, but no one seemed to mind.  
"There they are, over by the beach", Vim pointed out when descending from the vessel.

And there they were: 3 gigantic spikes purging out of the calm water's surface, high into the sky. Their surface was black, but textured. They were moist, but not from the water. The reflections made it appear eerily lively, or perhaps it was alive…

Varas' jaw dropped to her knees.  
"By Valen, this is..", but she could not utter the words. Vim was thankful she didn't, there were too many people around. Even if they couldn't understand them, she didn't like risking they might.

"So my assumptions were correct; This is what is written in the scrolls of Valen", she said while pulling her away from the crowd.  
"The dark hands of the enemy, fed by a life force"  
"Shh! Do not utter your theories out loud", Varas got struck by instinct as well, "This is… incredible"

They had found an unimaginable treasure: a possibly intact Shadow vessel.  
If they could extract it from the planet and study it… they could understand the mechanism, the features, the weaknesses of the enemy! Or at least, its vessels.Â

"Apprentice Vim, your discovery is priceless", she uttered.  
"We have to send word to Tuzanor. We must remove this before it gets noticed by another species. How could we have missed this?"  
"I have already done some readings and it emits no form of radiation, no signals, nothing. It has only been on the surface for about a hundred years, so it's quite possible we haven't returned here this generation", Vim explained.

"I will call it in immediately"

* * *

"A Shadow vessel? You are mocking me", Renati spoke irritated on the hologram. "I have been assigned with another task by Rathenn, I have no time for pleasantries Varas"  
"I'm serious, I'm looking at it right now.  
I won't send you the feed, you have to take my word for it. It's too risky to send it across such a long distance channel", Varas insisted.  
She had done the whole story to Rathenn, the cavalry was already on its way, but as always Renati was more sceptic than the rest. A trait she got from Akel, Varas figured. Warriors, they never believe you straight on.

"You _are_ serious", she gave ground.  
"Of course I am. More so, I need your help. There's something that bothers me, something I can't figure out", Varas explained.  
"Shoot", Renati was still letting the facts sink in. Guess it doesn't really hit one that bad unless they're standing next to he structure.

"The were scriptures on a stone near the location… Minbari scriptures", Varas warned.  
"Minbari scriptures? On Ikaffa? That makes no sense", scepticism returned to her friend.  
"It gets better: the scriptures feature the Song of Night"  
"The Song of Night? That's a children's song Varas", Renati found the thought ridiculous  
"I know. I wasn't sure I read it right, but there is was, the Song of Night in Lenn'A — bare a couple of older synonyms of course.  
As you can expect, I'm stumped, but I don't have the resources here to dig deeper. Would you be willing to follow up on this for me while I examine the vessel further?"  
"Of course…", she hesitated, not for not wanting to help her friend, but for being confused by the situation still.  
"Nusen'taal"

Why would a Minbari text be on a relay planet? Another forgotten relic? And why near a Shadow vessel? Obviously the two are connected.. but how?

* * *

_"At night when the stars fill the sky, _  
_close your eyes and flow away. _  
_Follow the river to where it ends, _  
_for then another day begins. _  
_Dream of the Gok, the Maeryn and the Zhi,_  
_running around together in the fields. _  
_Dream of the grass and flowers, _  
_the water and crystals._   
_Dream with them and flow away."_

She had been singing it for five days straight, but still was no closer to finding what it meant. There had to be some hidden message in the song no one realised. Why else would it be conveniently near a submerged Shadow Vessel?  
According to schedule the Anla'Shok salvaging ships should arrive at Ikaffa in four days. Renati wanted to find out its meaning before then.

With that knawing at her conscience she sought refuge in the relaxation room on the Tiris. She was still hitching a ride back to Minbar, though Naroon was taking the long way around due to other obligations. She didn't mind of course, more time for them to spend together.  
Those moments had been fewer than she craved, for both were drooped in work — research or meetings, it was always one or the other.  
At least some evenings they had been able to spend together.

Last night was especially lovely. Naroon had unexpectedly visited her in her quarters, bringing the gift of a nicely warmed plasma pillow to treat her sore thigh. The visible wound had healed, but every so often the sharp pain returned.  
The hela'mer had diagnosed it as the regrowing of the tissue, but had no idea why it was so painful. It was as if her body didn't realise the wound was healed, her nerves were stitll sending her pain impulses. Could that be related to the Vorlon alteration?  
In any case, Renati had soon discovered that warmth caused the pain to be more bearable.

"If you don't mind I would like to try a reversal of our previous habit: you work while I relax, but we spend our time together", Naroon's sheepish smile enchanted her.  
"Of course", she returned the warmth and shoved some of her papers to the side. She was looking up other related children's songs and information about their historical value, but she could do that just as well with him sitting next to her.

Naroon was reading a book — humorous fiction he called it, a must for her to read — while she continued her work as she would were he not there. The occasional snicker and quoting a passage from the book made evening work so much more enjoyable.

Suddenly Naroon's arm guard disturbed the serenity.  
"We are receiving the life feed Shai Alyt. Patching it through as you asked", one of Naroon's crew appeared on screen briefly and then disappeared.  
"Brilliant, I was waiting for that", he said excited and switched on Renati's holographic display.

Renati saw the report of a sports event she had heard of but was not familiar with: Maeryn (2)riding. Several Minbari mounted the large horse-beasts and were running around a triangular field.

"That looks painful", she exclaimed at one of the riders getting struck.  
"Oh it's quite alright", Naroon replied without looking at her. He was following the scene intensely, excited about the match.  
Another one got hit, frontally and at full speed this time.  
"But that's excruciating! It is as painful as it looks", he winced.

The excitement raged on until the final seconds of the match when he exclaimed: "And we won! That's four runs, ha!"  
"Ah, hence the blue", Renati suddenly realised what she was looking at.

Naroon glared her, shocked by the lack of her Warrior cultural knowledge.  
"I presume the purple ones are the Fe'endumar(3)?", she asked before he could rant.  
"Indeed, they have been the champions for the last five years", the Shaibar'nik told.  
"Congratulations then!", she said perkily.

"No no, we're not champion yet. That was just another league match, there's still some more matches until the title can be won"  
"Oh", she commented, but then noticed some of the names on the end credits.

They were the same names on the Hana(4)! The Minbari always credited everyone who contributed to anything they created, just for means of practicality.

"That's not possible, that's the Hana"  
"What do you mean? You act as if you've never seen Maeryn riding before", Naroon was confused — again.  
"Not on the Hana, no. We have that in the archives, but not on live feed", she was bedazzled.  
"Of course we have it. Every three days after the report, as it has been for as long as I remember", the Warrior replied, missing what the fuss was about.

"No we don't! We get the word of the day, Naroon"  
"The word of the day?"  
"The word of the day. I think yesterday's was premonition'", she quoted.

"The word of the day? Are you serious?"  
"Yes, it's quite interesting. The day before yesterday it was infatuation, quite intriguing actually", Renati got absorbed by her own explanation.  
Religious Castes…

"So you get a word? What do you do with it?", he wondered.  
"The history of the word, how it came into use, the different variations of the word, how it is pronounced in different dialects, its alternatives in Lenn'A and Vik and much more.  
Then there are poems and songs about it and…  
I am boring you around your bone, aren't I?", she worried.  
"Yes you are", he smiled tauntingly.

"It's really interesting though, truly. I mean, Maeryn riding is exciting, I'll give you that, but knowing different variants of words and the historical meaning behind it has proven interesting at times", Renati ensured him. Naroon gave her a doubtful look, but dashed back when she appeared insulted.  
"Just let it be, it's a Religious thing"  
"No no, I'm kidding", he assured her.

"I have a proposition: You tell me all about your word of the day, and I'll tell you some more about how the league works. How about that?"  
He probably didn't realise how warm that turned her heart. She shone with enthusiasm when she realised he was genuinely interested in what she had to say.  
"Let me just get you something before you start", he said and had some tea sent to her quarters. Renati noticed his care in selecting the Warrior bringing them the tea. It had always been the same one who delivered anything when they were together. She guessed this was his way of limiting the flow of information.  
Though Moran knew, at least he _had_ to know. Either that or he's blind.

As the evening progressed and her explanation continued, Naroon served something more interesting than tea. Apparently the Shai Alyt had access to quite a few exotic juices.  
Good connections with the Worker Caste, he had assured her. She wasn't settled on how he had them exactly, but he had hinted several times it had something to do with Fara.

"So the Maeryn riding, how does it work?", she wondered several hours after the initial conversation. They were headed for another throughout-the-night encounter.  
Renati had no trouble with little sleep, she didn't get past intense meditative state anyhow ever since her _change_, but Naroon was a bit more susceptible to that.

Five nights of very little sleep was starting to show tiring lines on his face, nevertheless the Shai Alyt insisted he was fine. He would savour every moment they had together until he had to let her go at Tuzanor.  
Who knew how long it would be before they saw each other again?

"The system is not that complicated, let me give it a shot", he started as her eyes locked onto him.  
The Warrior explained the Maeryns wore a carapace so the lances don't harm them. The object is to get the gravity ball around the terrain as many times without it getting intercepted by anyone else's lance. Simple at first glance, but quite complicated once you grind through the additional set of rules.

The terrain is divided in sub-terrains, which each have a focus of fighting. Some moves can be used in terrain A which can no longer be used in terrain B. If done, penalties are assigned.

The riders carry several weapons: some to hit the other riders and others to steal the ball. It is forbidden to harm the maeryn, but unfortunately does happen by accident on occasion, hence the armour.

"Waw sounds intense! Have you played it?", she wondered.  
"Yes…", he replied hesitantly.  
"Surely you have some footage to share?", Renati asked in excitement.  
"I do, somewhere..", he replied but at Renati's insistence scrolled through his old digital records to find them.

Renati saw fragments of a much — much — younger Naroon on a beautifully sturdy brown Maeryn, competing against some Star Riders.  
He was thinner back then, less muscled, but that was not all that was different. His eyes carried much more spark than they do now, it appeared as if something was missing.

Renati didn't give it much thought, probably the result of aging. Everyone loses that lively spark they had when they were very young. It's just the normal course of evolution.

"Is she yours?", Renati asked about the Maeryn.  
"Yes, Ciraga. But I haven't played in a long time", Naroon spoke with a hint of nostalgia.  
"So I see", Renati blurted out a tad too fast, "I mean I notice your… bone is different"  
"That was taken 42 years ago", he explained.  
"Forty two years? Well you've aged gracefully", again she let out the remark before common sense could hold her back.

What was the matter with her?

"I'm sorry…", she moused, "I'm not good with words, hence my enjoyment of the word of the day"  
Naroon smiled at her innocence again and teased: "I can see your improvement"  
"So do you still have Ciraga? I hear they live to be seventy to eighty years, is that true?", Renati wondered.  
"Y-yes", Naroon replied, but his tone of voice changed into sadness. He winced from the pain of memory.  
"I'm really not good with this", Renati cursed herself under her breath.

"It's alright Renati", he quickly pulled himself together, the kind regard returning into his eyes.  
"You could not know. Ciraga had an accident, unfortunately she could not be saved. After that I got sent away on longer and longer missions, so there was little time left, you know how it goes"  
"But you used to have time", she pointed out.  
"Indeed"

"Why don't you make time for it again then? Pick it up? I'm sure your cycles are adjustable now that you are commander of the vessel and I doubt the crew will protest on frequent trips home", she suggested.

He _could_ do that, but was it appropriate?  
True, the Tiris already served longer cycles than most vessels because of their frequent off-world travels, but would more stops in-between missions not damage the crew's quality?  
Besides, what would he do with the Maeryn when on duty?

"I no longer have anyone to look after it while away", he stated, sadness filling his eyes again. Renati felt a rush of grief being broadcasted from him to her. She had trouble keeping it out, but looked at him differently.  
He had lost someone very dear to him, someone who had a deep connection with Ciraga too. Perhaps it was not a good idea to elaborate too far on this.

"They are very sociable creatures. They need daily care", he continued.  
"I asked my sister, but she wasn't up to the task. Not that I blame her, she has enough on her hands with all the children"

_Children! There's a happy thought, let's focus on that. _

"I didn't know you were already a Va'malier(5)! Do you have a family picture?", she wondered.  
"Probably", he muttered and scrolled through his personal records on the holoframe again.  
"My sister, her husband, their children, my late brother and me. I do need to update this one. Sus'Fi's youngest isn't on here yet", he reminisced with a small longing for home.  
"Your brother looks younger, what happened?", she nosed.  
"Nerdir stayed in the War", Naroon spoke grimly, but as usual avoided elaboration of the subject.  
"What's your family situation like? Any dominant siblings I need to know about?', he smiled.  
"No", Renati chuckled, "It's just me"  
"Ah, tough parents then?", he poked. He wasn't sure how her history was laid out.  
"Akel practically raised me, so you'll have to take anything up with her", she dodged the question.  
"Ah, so it's a yes", he jested.

Naroon looked in her eyes, but saw unease where he was looking for warmth. Better not to open up any wounds. He would come to find what it's all about in due time.  
He placed his hand on her thigh, applying some pressure on the plasma pillow.  
"How is it?"  
"It's better now", she smiled invitingly.

Ever since their last _encounter_ in the rehabilitation centre of the ship, she had grown more comfortable and confident around him. Especially when he sought contact, she just wanted him to continue.  
She wanted more. Though she tried hard to control these new urges of her, she was sure Naroon had noticed her _receptiveness_.  
Nevertheless, there was no abuse. His company was less paced than she anticipated a Warrior would be.

He appeared to understand the mental barrier that had been impelled onto her since adolescence by her Caste. Letting feelings surface that have forcefully been ignored for so long was not something easy to master.  
Add the fact that all the emotions between them are forbidden and you have a very explosive situation.  
Thankfully, Renati was a stubborn and conceited one. She would persevere.

"Hey, dreamer", Moran's voice snapped her out of her reminisce, "I'm going to the training grounds for half an hour. Don't go far without telling me, will you?"  
Renati just nodded and flipped back to reality.  
Naroon had extended their limit to twenty meters, so Moran and Renati had a bit more freedom to roam, but still needed to keep close.

The Anla'Shok sunk deeper into the sofa and recited the song again and again.

_Perhaps it's not the text, but the rhythm_, she wondered and hummed the song. She soon moved to singing it softly, trying to find the connection.  
Renati sang, but the words still made no sense — it was still that lullaby from when she was younger. What was she missing?

"Are you mocking me?", a sharp female voice caught her attention. Fara stood behind her near the beverage dispatcher, carrying an irritated regard on her face.  
"I'm sorry, what?", she replied befuddled.  
"You Religious Castes translate our War songs? Into Lenn'A nonetheless! And what's with the illustrious text? If you translate something, try to keep its meaning", she spat.  
"Translate?"

At the same rhythm Renati had sung the song, Fara now filled it with new meaning.  
"At night when the stars fill the sky,  
We go to War with the ones of the dark.  
Though they blend in, we do not fear  
For the power of the mighty minds is near.  
Together we will fight and bleed,  
For our union will light the path to freedom.  
Cast away the darkness, cast away the fire,  
Embrace life, embrace the future.  
Make way for the united souls of all", she sang out loud.

Renati listened to the words in Vik and felt her world collide.

Of course! That was it!  
The translation of the song in Lenn'A was a very loose — to say the least — form of its Vik equivalent!  
"Fara, you're a genius!", she uttered and dashed out the room.  
The Warrior was left with an even more frustrated frown than before.

_Ihk trak'sa...__(6)_

* * *

"It's breathtaking", Renati gawked.  
"It is, isn't it?", Varas said, carrying a certain sense of pride. Finally the Anla'Shok would advance in their battle against the Ancient Enemy. This could be the relic that would turn Warrior Caste to their side.

Of course for that to happen, the salvage teams needed to be able to get it out of the water in one piece. Several diving teams were measuring up the structure, but occasionally found irregularities in their data.  
Renati ascribed it to the dormant nature of the _thing_. She was convinced it was organic — alive even.

"I just feel it", she had assured Varas. Renati had caught up with the salvage team as soon as she had figured out the importance of the child's song — or battle cry, however you may call it.  
When one considers the lyrics of the full song entirely in Vik, there is a hidden message related to the built, strength and past weaknesses of the enemy. Renati concluded it had to do with the ships, not the creatures themselves — hence her conclusion to the ship being alive.

They would have to unite with someone — or something — else in order to defeat them, but Renati hadn't figured out yet how to interprete the meaning of the word union. There were so many different options, so she had brought back her findings to study them together with her friend.

Varas was more conservative about the living'-matter and presumed the text relayed back to the Ancient Enemy itself — whose true form was unknown to the Anla'Shok.  
That statement only fueled Renati's incentive.

Perhaps the ships _are_ the Ancient Enemy.  
Perhaps they are one with their ships, entity beings just as their sworn enemy the Vorlon.

All very credible in Renati's eyes, but Varas refused to jump to conclusions.

"We will have it analysed by the best Anla'Shok researchers. I'm sure they will give us a definitive answer of how the song relates to this ship — if at all — and supply us with a detailed analysis of the ship itself. That should get us something to start our defences around", Varas explained.  
"I don't think it's a good idea to move it. I think we should attempt to investigate it further in its static position", Renati urged.  
"Why? It's not as if we're taking it back to Minbar, just to a location easier workable", Varas replied.  
"What if it doesn't want to be moved?"

The shorter Anla'Shok granted her friend's statement nothing more than an irritated glare.

"Who says some distress signal won't be sent off somewhere when we move it? There's probably a reason why it's down here", Renati tried formulating it in a way Varas was more likely to accept her theory.

"It's down there because it probably crash landed into the lake after we shot it down in the last war, Renati", her irritation was growing.

Why couldn't she just be happy they have been presented with this opportunity? There was too much paranoia in her…

"We have no proof of that"  
It was true. Initial scans had shown no visible damage to the exterior… then again, they weren't sure what the exterior was _supposed_ to look like.  
They had sketches that resemble the spider-shaped form they had before them, but there were no details on the curves on the hull. For all they know, this material breaks down differently to the classic metals and what not used for ships.

Renati's eyes were determined and serious. She stood by her statement, this was not one of her little conviction games she would play on occasion to see how much Varas truly believed in a conviction of hers. This was Renati standing her ground.  
A worried frown crawled onto Varas' forehead.  
"Do you really think it's alive?"

ZWONG!  
……………….SPLASH!

Varas got no time to finish her train of thoughts. A large object hit the murky water near the beach they were standing on. Renati pulled her to the ground with her to find shelter from the large gush of water and debris headed their way.  
The force of the litres of water hitting them was immense. It felt like a brick wall hitting them head-on. Varas accidently took in a gulp of salty water, which she soon forcefully spat out again. Gasping for air, she realised she had lost sight of Renati.

Where was she? And what happened?!?

Before she could finish that thought, another burst landed in the water. More water pushed over its natural boundaries and carried many where they shouldn't be. Several of the Anla'Shok salvagers had been pulled away together with Varas, lost in the turbulence of the stream.

_Oh no, not another one. _

Varas dove under to avoid the next wave, but a large part of debris caught in the current propelled itself against her.

Everything went dark after that.

* * *

"Varas!", a soaked Renati cried out. She had ended up several blocks away from where they were originally standing on the beach. The tidal waves had wrecked most of the large but fragile city around her.  
Some of the buildings' facades had collapsed due to the sheer power of impact with the wave, others had considerable collateral damage — broken windows, washed out floors — but the structures were still standing.  
Kudos to the engineers.

Most of the Ikaffans were too concerned with their own lives to fully grasp what was going on here: an attack. Retaliation for the disturbance of the structure, Renati was sure of it.

But retaliation by whom?

And where was Varas?!

Renati climbed down from the rooftop she had used to gain an overview and continued down the mucky streets of the city. She used whatever obstacles she could to jump from point to point, avoiding too much soaking time in the water. Pretty redundant considering she was drenched anyhow. Perhaps it was an ego thing.

She returned to the beach, but there was no sign of her friend.  
"Varas! Varas, where are you? Can you hear me?", she yelled while wading through the water that carried until halfway up her thighs.

Perhaps she got drawn further by the current? Or perhaps she had gotten stuck on something and was still here… below the water!  
"Varas!", she yelped and manically searched around the area blindly with her arms down the water. She tried blocking the horrible thought of Varas being drowned, realising the pressure of time.  
"Varas where are-"

A large gulp of water filled Renati's lungs, which she couldn't force out again. She was.. she was being held down! What was going on here?  
The Anla'Shok tried looking under water, but too much sand and dirt blocked her view.  
Unless… was that a silhouette?

Gasp!  
In a matter of seconds she regurgitated the tainted water she had taken in, making way for fresh air. However, daylight wasn't as welcoming as she thought.  
Three dark blades touched the skin of her neck, three pairs of dark eyes looking into her soul.

_Shadow souled…_

Surprised at their mercy, she did not attempt to flee. No, this time the would cooperate. Their had to be a reason for her capture.  
_This should be interesting_

* * *

By the command of the first Renati moved forward into whichever direction they guided her in. Resistance was futile.

She couldn't see the rest of the Shadow Souled's weapons for they too were concealed up to their waist in water. They probably carried more than their dark knives, so making a run for it was not an option.

How had they gotten here anyway? They don't just appear out of thin air. Were they here before or had they only just arrived? The latter would be the most logical given the dramatic entrance.  
They were probably here to reclaim the ship of their masters. Renati sighed. She knew they should've been more careful when scanning the thing. Of course it had sent out a signal.. one carrying a giant bull's eye!

Her inner swearing caused her to slow her pace, which was responded by a sharp poke in the back by the leader.

_Auw! That cut! _she winced as she felt the mild poison finding a way through her veins. Bless her Vorlon essence reacting in counter immediately. Her immune system had already adapted itself to force out very small amounts of it. Perfect for a cut such as this one.

The Shadow souled lead Renati to a square futher into the city, where the water level only reached up to their knees. Between the buildings she caught a flash of a very live and active version of a Shadow ship.  
Again, the Anla'Shok could not resist a hesitation in her pace as she stared at the structure in disgust.  
It was there… _alive_ and well. But.. it was different to the one in the water, that one was still there..

Then she saw him.  
"Faranth", she cursed.  
The guards brought her to him at a respectable distance.  
"Hold it there", Faranth ordered when he was satisfied with her approach. In the blink of an eye Shadow Souled Warriors had formed a triangle around them.

"I see you kept the cape, regardless of your own advice", she initiated the mockery.  
"One often needs to reconsider rash decisions", Farath grinned in amusement, "It would harm my dramatic entrance not to wear it"  
"I believe your rentrée was dramatic enough", she replied with sarcasm.

"I presume you have come to retrieve it?", she returned to the matter at hand.  
"My _masters_ don't like prying eyes. I merely bring back what is theirs", Faranth replied. His aura was dark as ever, yet there was something unexpected in his presence, something about the way he said _masters_.  
"So you too serve", Renati analysed.  
"On occasion"

"I presume this is when you expect for me to bend over and yield?", she taunted him.  
The dark warrior let out an obscure laugh.  
"I do not expect, Renati. I know you will let us go without any further bloodshed", he said revealing the ace up his sleeve.  
"However, this will not refrain me from offering you a choice", the dark voice continued.  
"You may not realise it yet Renati, but even for me you are a unique specimen. An amusing companion shall I say. Your powers would be most useful, but of course the choice of _companion_ is yours to make"

Was he asking her to join his cause? Fight for the Shadows and abandon all that she loves? The mere thought roused nausea inside her. She would never even consider!

"I see from the look on your face our union will never be"  
_Wait, union?_  
"Not a worry. I came prepared, of course", he grinned.  
"Lesson number one: never face your enemy without proper leverage"

Confusion filled Renati until she saw two of his men bringing a struggling Varas forward. They dropped her face down in front of Faranth, who kept her in check by pressuring his foot lightly on her shoulder blade. He pushed Varas' face under the low layer of water and into the mud, taunting Renati to undertake action.

"Let go of her", Renati's tone changed from challenging to grim.  
The leader of the Shadow Souled laughed away her empty threat and pushed her friend further. Varas' determination sent some air bubbles through the mud, but she wouldn't hold out much longer.  
"I presume I need not explain the conditions of our agreement?"  
"Agreement? You coward! What kind of a Warrior are you, needing to drag others in to fight your war for you?"  
"She's not an innocent", he insisted while Varas jerked for air.  
"Whether she's an innocent, your friend or an inconnu, it doesn't matter! Your actions dishonour you as a Warrior, whatever the species!", she cursed him.

Renati was desperately cornered. If she approached, he would surely move his leg to her neck and snap it, but these negotiations were getting her nowhere. Faranth was mocking her, while his _minions _were joining in on the laughter.

_Perhaps it's time to give him a taste of his own medicine_, she figured.  
The Anla'Shok focused hard, but had trouble controlling her gift for so many. The laughter of the ones closest to her suddenly dimmed until actually switching to squeals of pain.  
Liking her response, Faranth caved a little.

"Alright", he halted his torture of Varas, who spat out the mud before breathing in the most releasing gush of air in her life.  
"We will do this the Minbari way, honourable"  
Under his hood he hid a dark grin of nostalgia.  
_Ah, the olden days… _  
"Leave us", he commanded his men and stepped away from Varas, who still recovering.

"If we can settle this between us, perhaps the universe can benefit from it. If you defeat me, we spare your lives and leave you with a fair chance of memory for our next encounter.  
If however you do not, we kill every last soul that roams this planet", he proposed.  
"Accepted", Renati spoke and readied herself.  
"In both cases we take the ship however", he quickly added, but that part of the agreement was a given.

Renati hoped they had at least gained some useful information from the few scans they had performed. It was more important that those lives were saved. At least they would have the experience to learn from.  
Sometimes it is necessary to lose a battle in order to win the war.

Faranth dashed forward, starting the most painful parry match Renati had in a while. Every one of his blows struck.

Every single one.

She tried blocking, she tried evading, she tried hitting him first, but nothing helped. He was too fast, too powerful.

_How am I supposed to defeat him like this? I can't… I can't do it, _she realised the death sentence she had agreed to.

The Shadow Souled however was toying with her, he wasn't even breaking a sweat. Unfortunately for him, this was not what he had expected. In an act of disgust, he pushed her away from him and cursed.  
"You are still weak, pathetic!"

Renati dropped hard on her back, hitting her head against the muddy ground. She tried getting up quickly, but her body lacked courage.

_This is impossible_

"Pfff, another faulty one. One would think the Vorlon would get better after so many tries. How many has it been now… thirteen?", he mocked her in disappointment.  
Renati was both shocked as well as angered by the knowledge he carried about her situation. He knew more than she did!  
Or was he just playing her?

"What do you know?", she couldn't help it.  
"Ha!", he smirked. "I see that even though they have gotten further with you than the previous _specimen_, they still enjoy the shroud of secrecy. Ridiculous"  
He knew Renati didn't know about her predecessors, definitely not about the end goal the Vorlon had in mind for her, but his own knowledge fueled fear. How close was she to that goal? Were the rumors true about her transformation? Had she already found a way to her _ultimate_ form? He would have to provoke it.

"Yes, you are not that unique, Renati. There have been twelve others before you in recent years. All defective, just like you", he taunted.  
"They should've stopped at twelve and realise we've won. You're a disgrace to the universe, faulty Kira Zhe", he spat  
"I am not.. FAULTY!", she yelled. She felt the fire of the rage flowing through her veins, completed by a whirlwind of realisation of what he had almost done. He had almost killed Varas and he would continue… with everyone.  
She could not let that happen. She had to stop him… she had to… do somet…

Suddenly Renati propelled forward and transformed in that which is more than her. She became her _ultimate_ self. A grin appeared on Faranth's face in pleasure.

_Excellent_

The being of light clashed viciously with his blades. Suddenly she was much more of an opponent, considerably more challenging. Though Renati managed to get through his defences on occasion, Faranth returned it with nothing more than the shining of his teeth.

Either admiration or satisfaction filled his heart, it was difficult to tell. All that is certain is that the dark creature relived when meeting his light adversary. He was now complete once again — the struggle could now commence anew.

The contrast in posture and appearance between the lighter being of Renati and the sober Faranth was striking, yet out of place. Any spectator would feel there was something missing. It was not right for the dark warrior to be able to counter so many of her blows without transforming into something more than himself.

Could he?

Many of these thoughts rushed through Renati's mind as she lunged at him. With one hand she was holding the Vorlon blade Shai Alyt Branmer had given her, the other was coated in a plating of some kind which she used to block several attacks of the dark blades. For some reason, Faranth was fascinated with it.

When he had driven the power test to an acceptable level, Faranth tried out-fencing Renati. No trouble for a Warrior, were it not that Renati was concentrating her mental efforts on his blades. Suddenly a jolt of lighting emitted from her free hand and struck him in the chest.

Faranth flew back, grinding into the water and mud at the end of his fall.

_He recovered from that?!?_  
The Anla'Shok was more amazed at her opponent's strength than her newly discovered power.  
"Perhaps you're not as faulty as I thought", he admitted and re-engaged the fight.  
Shocked, but no less determined, Renati gave her previous attempt another go: using her mental powers as a weapon.  
The spark she was waiting for didn't come and the cuts on her body increased as Faranth picked up the pace. Defeat was near, but Renati didn't want to admit it.

Even though she was reaching the limit of her powers, she remained in the battle… and in this form. How much longer could she stay like this? What were the consequences?  
Could she return at will?

Faranth's blade struck her shoulder hard, breaking her train of thought, but to her surprise only his hilt hit. She didn't leave the time to figure out what that meant and struck another blow with her Vorlon blade.  
Where he was convinced his dark blade would block the blow, Faranth suddenly felt an excruciating pain as the light blade sliced through his hand, cutting off his thumb. An agonizing scream followed by a powerful dash, blew Renati away from him, hitting a tree behind her.  
Before she could counteract his action, a dark blade pierced her already weakened thigh — pinning her to the tree. The shock from the strike accompanied by the pain forced her back to her normal self, wailing in pain on the tree.

Faranth looked at her in disbelief, when he realised what had happened. She had removed the blade from his hand without taking it. She was gaining control of her telepathic powers.

It was a strange combination that filled him. The sweet scent of success and the bitter taste of defeat.  
"You have won the first challenge", he tried controlling his voice. The pain he felt was rejuvenating in a way. He had forgotten what it was like to truly feel pain, an unpleasant reminder of being alive.  
He wasn't sure if she was listening, for she was desperately pulling the blade in her leg.

"You have also impressed me, unexpectedly. I will respect our agreement, this time and the next. When we fight, no others will be involved. Do you comply?", he proposed.  
Renati retracted the blade from her leg with a loud scream, but Faranth paid no heed to it. He had urgent matters of his own to take care of.

"Do you comply?", he asked with the tip of his other blade at her neck.  
"I…agree", she panted. She saw Faranth disappear into smoke — literally — but was then struck by the horrible sound of _that_ scream. The pain was too much, it all turned black again.

* * *

Footnotes

(1) - Pronounced Ô-ré-hak

(2) - Maeryn _(Adrenato/Vik)_: Minbari equivalent of a horse. A carnivorous nocturnal breed with the same basic anatomy, although bulkier than the average Earth horse (resembling Friesan or Andalusian horses). Instead of having a crest made of hair, theirs consists out of small additional parts of bone coming through the skin along the neckline and at the base of the back.  
Around their ears the bone tends to shape into a spike. The other dubs are usually blunt due to the animal's frequent rolls in the grass / soil as well as their social interaction with one another. They rest their neck on that of another and rub it slightly to show friendship and affection. Their tails however, consist out of hair. They have three, originating from a single spot: the joining of the bottom of the back and top of the thighs.

(3) - Fe'endumar _(Adrenato)_: Night Walkers

(4) - Hana _(Adrenato)_: Literally: expectations. Here used as the Minbari equivalent of the news. A three-day rotational programme broadcasted across the Minbari system to Minbari receivers only. Depending on the receiver different content is shown. Events concerning every Caste is shown globally, afterwards only Caste-specific news is shown.

(5) - Va'malier _(Adrenato)_: Uncle

(6) - Ihk trak'sa _(Vik)_: Bloody female

* * *

**Author's note**: I'm very sorry for having been absent for so long, but you know with the holidays and all things just got too busy. Anyway, he were are back again and ready for more :-)  
Please don't worry whenever there's a delay in posts, there is MUCH more to the story following up - we're just getting into things! The plot's only starting... - so please hang in there!  
Thank you for all your support and wonderful comments!

Next chapter: **Gatherings and squabblings**


	42. Chapter 42: Gatherings and Squabblings

**Gatherings and squabblings**

Everything was larger this time: the room, the table, even the amount of people around it. Robert counted thirteen _conheads_, excluding himself, around a table that puzzled him.  
It was rectacular of shape, in perfect symmetry to the room, but the centre of it appeared hollowed out and filled up with a thick dark liquid. At times it was perfectly flat, frighteningly reflective even, other times ripples appeared through it in no particular pattern.

_Is something in there? _

Both nervous and worried, Robert reached for his trusty partner on the table: a lovely glass of brandy, Armagnac, single barrel aged.  
Ahh, the delight … it never fades!

"Mr. Wade, I believe you have another matter that requires our attention?", the large man at the head of the table shook him from enjoying the warm fuzzy feeling in his chest.

Fourteen of the world's most influencable people were seated at the table, the fewer discussions they had, the better.  
Sure they were all part of this grand organisation, but not one would hesitate to stab the other in the back given time and opportunity.  
He liked keeping them in check, but even he had his limits.

_He_ was who Robert had come to identify as Mr. Zhao, the apparent leader of the operation. He was always clad in a brown suit, with a gigantic boa constrictor squirming around his neck or waist … or whatever other body part the snake was comfortable with.  
Robert had branded it a boa constrictor as biology was not his prime topic, however he didn't remember them having horns.  
The beast put him off every time they met. It carried such an intelligent gaze one would almost believe it was actually listening to the conversation … or worse: trying to communicate.

"Hello, my name is Robert Wade and I-"  
"This is not an AA meeting, _Robert_. Do not delay us any longer", the man sitting across from him spoke.  
He was a skittish one, going by the nickname of Gorge. Probably due to his facial features. The man had thrown back so much liquor in his life his entire face resembled the surface of a gaspy gorge. His nine o'clock stubble didn't help his sloppy appearance either.

"A new and worrying fact has come to our attention", he professionally ignored Gorge's statement, "It appears that our efforts of keeping alien trade out of our system by focusing them on one another through conflict and what not may be in vain"

He waited a moment for his statement to sink in and then continued: "It appears that our Minister of foreign affairs has had the revelation of opening the trade market to all races. Free trade for _anyone_"

"Free trade? Across the galaxy?", one of the few non-iconic gents spoke up. "Are you serious?"  
"Unfortunately I am", Robert emphasised.

Wondering glares were exchanged between several members of the _council_ and Mr. Zhao, who showed no sign of protest.  
"This is indeed a very grave matter", the same suit replied in a now calmer voice. "We need to make this disappear before it leaks to the public"  
There were some more rowdy comments, until a female clad in black picked in: "I agree with Mr. Coudeville. There are too many _opportunistic_ alien companies waiting for a chance such as this"  
"The Centauri would have a feast", another voice added to the protest, "And they are far better at smuggling or forging trade in any matter than we are"

This last comment was met by grunts of protest, especially from Gorge, but Robert immediately picked up on it: "It is foolish to deny. The Centauri have been around a lot longer than we have, they have mastered controlled corruption over the ages.  
Never have their markets been open to anything alien, unless under very strict import rules … and with good reason!

Cheaper products from Narn or Drazi import could put us all out of business. Whether it's weapons or candy canes you're shipping, there _will_ be a problem with your investment"

Robert's plead was starting to take effect, nevertheless he wanted to top it off: "Let us not forget that there may be more races out there we do not know of yet. In combination with this Babylon 5 project, this could be nefast for all our futures"

That was a fact.  
The Babylon 5 project would surely introduce new races to the Human realm, all of them potential threats to the market. It had to be prevented.

"What do you propose we do about it then?", Gorge taunted Robert, clicking his molars across after every sentence. Probably a _gift_ from the alcohol abuse.  
"We terminate him", Robert replied as cold as a butcher selling meat.  
"Aren't we being a little over eager?", Mr. Coudeville tried calming the lot.  
"Can we not bribe him?", he suggested, his French accent slipping in for just a second at the pronunciation of 'bribe'.  
"A bribe is just a temporary fix and potentially a lot more expensive", Robert insisted, "Assassination is a one time investment"

The table turned quiet with the thinking minds of madmen. It was not the first time they needed to eliminate one in their way, nor would it be the last, however this one was quite touchy. He was after all the Minister of Foreign Affairs. It's no as if he wouldn't be missed...

"Let's say we kill him, what's the point? Another guy will simply take his place", the large black guy with a clear African accent at the far end of the table spoke up.  
"That is why we not only need to take care of the current threat, but also investigate into it further. We need to know if it was an idea of his own and if not, who or where it came from", Robert explained his full proof plan.  
"And from there on?"  
"From there on we see what the problem is and who has the potential to fix it"

Again there was a silent commotion in the room. Mr. Zhao had a small grin curling his lips, enjoying the feistiness of the new one. So eager to guide the others in the right direction, but would he succeed?

"When that time comes, you can count on the assistance of my people", the woman with the Psi Corps badge spoke up.  
"Do not take it as a compliment dear, I simply believe this one outweighs your capabilities", she quickly added the explanaition to her gesture.

"Do you have a concrete plan of elimination, Mr. Wade?", Mr. Zhao's voice killed all other speech.  
"Yes: there is an event being held in a week's time near Gamma 7. It is hosted by a fairly unknown race, the Hyachans. Their gerontocracy lies somewhat deeper in the galaxy, but every year they are the hosts of an event well-known by neighbouring races.  
With their possible involvement in the Babylon 5 project, they have decided to stretch the event to unseen heights, making it more culturally appealing. They have invited envoys from every major civilisation as wel as all the neighbouring ones for a 5 day entertainment salvo of sports and politics"

"Sports and politics?", Gorge commented dryly.  
"More specifically racing sports. Different races will be held on the planet's surface as well as around Gamma 7 while the evenings disclose with a banquet for the bigwigs. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs has also received an invitation together with Ambassador Sinclair. Refusal would be inappropriate"  
"Again very useful information, Mr. Wade", Mr. Zhao seemed genuinely pleased, "I presume you needn't confirm the solidity of your sources?"  
"Of course they are well trusted Mr. Zhao", the Brit commented with a gesturing bow, then continued: "The plan is to think out four possible assassination attempts and get everyone into place"  
"Why four?", the Psi Corps woman wondered.  
"By putting multiple pawns into place to capture the king, we have a better chance of checkmate. I like to play it safe"

There was wisdom in this newbie's words. Many at the table found his affrontiveness... well, affronting. They worried where it would take him. He was too cocky at times, too quiet at others.

What was his agenda? Was he who he appeared to be? Or perhaps an under cover spy?

All these thoughts crossed the minds of most once or twice, but there was nothing else they could do but put their trust in them. Zhao probably had invested quite some funds in this newling, he should be worth it.

"Have you covered all your bases, Mr. Wade?", Mr. Coudeville wanted to ensure his _associate_ wasn't forgetting anything.  
"There is one problem: the Gaim. We have very little experience with the species. We do not know what to expect of them, so it's difficult to gestimate. All the other races shouldn't be a problem, they each have a weak side. Even the Minbari are controllable, we just have to avoid their involvement in the matter. Being unsociable creatures, that shouldn't be too hard.  
But the Gaim, they are a head-knocker. Does anyone have resources to obtain more information about them?"

It took a while, but eventually Mr. Coudeville replied: "We have experienced great trouble with the Gaim ourselves. We have _intercepted_ several of their ships in the past in order to discover what is below the suits of theirs. This is what we discovered"

Coudeville pressed his fingers down on a touch screen somewhere and a disturbed sort of projection emitted from the dark substance in the centre. Robert had not seen this _gimmick_ before. Probably some alien technology they nicked from somewhere.  
He wasn't sure what was more impressive: the dark substance coiling into projecting images or the images themselves.

They showed the autopsy … or rather dissection … of two different Gaim. One was a regular insectoid, nothing notable about it, but the next was clearly more armoured than the previous specimen.  
"What's with the heavy armour? Is it some kind of sub-class?", Gorge wondered.  
"No, they are the same species, just a different application", Mr. Coudeville explained.  
"My scientists found that they adapt their ways. The first one was shot in the chest, so they make a second one with a sturdier chest. Who knows what they will send now", he turned to Robert.  
"Did you just say make?"  
"Remaquable, you _do_ listen", he quickly commented, "Yes they make. As far as our speculations go, the Gaim are controlled by a single entity that creates warriors for his or … probably … her cause. She makes bugs for every tasks: thinking bugs, fabricator bugs, negotiator bugs,..."

"So every one has a purpose", someone in the dark muttered.  
"Just like everyone on this table", Mr. Zhao gathered the minds in a single direction.  
"It is clear that the matter that has been brought to light needs our immediate attention", he summarised, "Mr. Wade, as you discovered the information, both the responsibility as well as the credit for this _situation_ are yours. I'm sure any member of this organisation will willingly cooperate given the need"  
Robert nodded in gratitude, though he wished Zhao had put it differently. He would have won over the parties he needed for this, he didn't need his insistence. Now he owes him.  
Guess that's how the business works.

"Just one more thing", it was Gorge who wouldn't let the newbie get away with it so easily. "What about Santiago?"

Blast. Good point, what about him? How would they mask that? There were many influences here at the table, but Robert had too little knowledge of the people to know where to look. Plus, going around openly stating he needed help wasn't exactly his preferred course of action.

No, he would have to handle this differently. He would have to outsource this one.  
Perhaps... Sinclair?

"President Santiago will understand the need of the situation", he quickly added and thus concluded the discussion.

* * *

A small nail fighter descended from the Ingata to the Sakar. Minutes later, the pilot entered the quarters of the Shai Alyt.  
"How was your trip Neroon?", the based voice of Shakiri asked. It was time for his routine report. Shakiri often insisted on the personal presence of his pawns, as a means to better _communication_.  
"You know how my trip was. Why do you insist on asking questions to which you already know the answer?", a clearly irritated Alyt posed.  
"I'm a kind person, I care for my subordinates", Shakiri mocked.

_Yeah, rub it in... _

Neroon was Star Rider of birth, proud to be so. Amongst his Clan he was known, but did not posess the influence … or power … he desired. His Clan head, Hat Servaas, had shown little interest in his endeavours and achievements.  
However, Shakiri had noticed the spark in this young Warrior, once Branmer's finest apprentice, and had put it to use.  
He had systematically integrated Neroon in missions that were out of reach for his rank, granting favours in return. Working for Shakiri is how Neroon claimed the rank of Alyt, although it was not something he was proud of.

The relation between the two of them was.. prickly, to say the least. Neroon knew Shakiri would only show interest in him for as long as he proves to be useful, but unfortunately he is the only one giving him the opportunities he desires.  
Ambition is encouraged amongst Warriors, however accomplishment is often proportionate to age. Young ones rarely get the opportunity to excel on a high level.  
Neroon has a couple of rivals in his age group, but none have the support of one as mighty as Shakiri.

Though he would have preferred to stay under the guidance and honour of Shai Alyt Hat Branmer, since his sudden transferral from the Star Riders to the Vonilbok … in need is but a point of view … the pupil and Master haven't spoken much.  
In time and with Branmer's guidance, he would have gotten where he is now, only with more honour to account for it.

Now he is quite the man for his status, with a bright future to look forward to, given he plays his cards right of course.  
The council remains stubborn. They will not grant him the status of Shai Alyt. For that he is not only too young … 68 was the youngest ever given to a Shai Alyt, Neroon only counts 59 years … but he has too little battle experience to show for it.  
Curtesy of Shakiri unfortunately. Most of the missions he gets sent on are secret or off the book, giving him no real credit. It does grant him points with the leader of the Night Walkers, who in his turn pushes Neroon through with a different kind of crowd.

Not the Shai Alyts, but the elders have started to notice Neroon. His political involvement is raising by the minute, as are his connections. Neroon is well on his way of becoming an excellent Warrior politician, with already some say in the advisory council.

Unfortunately without Shakiri, he would have none of it. In truth, he loathed the man, but his thrust for power gave him more forbearance you would give him credit for.

"Thank you for your concern, Shai Alyt Hat", Neroon addressed Shakiri the way he preferred: full title.  
"What are your findings?"  
"Satai Delenn will be attending the event you specified. She insisted on it, 'to be politically involved with other races"  
"I never got that", Shakiri moaned while sipping on his flavour-enhanced tea from behind his desk. Another obvious difference in rank; he didn't even get up.

"Why would she be interested in what other races are doing? _Politically!_", the Clan leader continued, "As Satai she can't even focus properly on her own people, let alone others"  
"All the more reason for someone more capable to take her place", Neroon commented.  
"Yes, yes. It does take time you know. We can't just hover a crystal and swap Satai", Shakiri commented on the young one's insistence.

The Night Walker did not aspire the position of Satai himself, too much spotlight, but Neroon would be a perfect replacement. Not only would a pawn of his be in place, but it would create an imbalance in the council, with four Warriors to two Religious Castes; Oh and three Workers, he tends to forget about those...

"My contact in the advisory council tells me that the Shaibar'nik have been chosen for the envoy"  
"The Moon Shields? Figures", Shakiri frustrated at first, but then realised the potential.

"Have they chosen a ship yet?", he wondered.  
"No, Shai Alyt Hat Tyraan has been given the task to do so"  
"Was he now?", Shakiri hid his grin behind another lift of his teacup.  
"What are you up to?"  
"None of your concern Neroon. You may leave now, you have functioned well"  
"Functioned?", Neroon raised a brown as far as he could.  
"Yes, functioned. Now go continue the rest of your duties", he scoffed him off.

* * *

_Function! I'll show him... _

"Yes Alyt Neroon, how may I help you?", a female voice originated from his arm guard when he pressed it.  
"Yes dear, could you trace a call for me?", he put on his friendliest voice.  
"I'm in the middle of something...", the female complained.  
"But for me? Pretty please?", he tried nonetheless. Joviality had always worked well on him when it came to the other gender.

"Alright, but just this once", the female turned shy, "You already owe me Neroon"  
"Don't think I have forgotten. I promise I will make it up to you", he smiled though she could not see.  
"What call would you like for me to trace?"  
"I need to make sure the next call the Shai Alyt makes is safe"  
"We have our system for that", she replied confused.  
"Politically dear", she wasn't the brightest of the bunch.  
"Oh, alright. I will give you a second connection when it comes thr- oh there it is"

* * *

"Tyraan old friend, how are you?", Shakiri smiled broad-teethed.  
"What do you want Shakiri?", the elderly man snapped back. The Shaibar'nik avoided socialising with the leader of the Fe'endumar, for the good reason that he always found some way to manipulate you.

Shakiri was about to make a remark on his cold welcoming, but got another snipey reply.  
"I don't have the time you do, so either tell me what you want or leave me be"  
"Naroon"  
"What about Shai alyt Naroon?", Tyraan asked suspicious. His attention was turned now. Naroon was one of his finest … at least relying on the judgement of his personal advisory council.  
What could Shakiri possibly want with him?

"We have... a score to settle", Shakiri hesitated.  
"Use your own resources for your personal vendettas Shakiri", Tyraan scoffed. He wasn't going to hand over one of his own to the claws of the viper, as they call him off the books.  
"I am using my own resources. You still owe me from the last shipment, do you not? If I recall it correctly, that seriously helped you advance the Tarellen matter", Shakiri threatened.

That was exactly why Tyraan had learned to avoid the viper: you deal with him once, but for a life long he will remind you of your actions.  
"You never do anything just out of friendship do you?", Tyraan tried to mouse his way out.  
"Who says we're friends?", Shakiri retorted.

Tyraan sighed. This was not good, he was cornered. He could not risk Shakiri's _support_ on the Tarellen matter being exposed, but was this a mistake he would need to keep paying the price for?  
Perhaps with proper precaution, this request may not turn out as bad as he feared. After all, Elder Myana always said Shai Alyt Naroon was 'one of the calmest and most professional Shai Alyts in the Clan'. Time to put that to the test.

"What is it you want him for?", he queried. Never agree to anything up front.  
"I want you to appoint the Tiris as the envoy for Satai Delenn during the Hyachan event", Shakiri stated bluntly.  
Tyraan paused.  
"You do know that Naroon and other species don't work well together?"  
"Indeed, proper punishment", the Fe'endumar spilled the beans.

"So it's punishment now?", Tyraan tried, but Shakiri didn't budge.  
"Alright Shakiri, you get your wish, but I want something in return. I want to know what's going on here, every detail, to the bone. If I'm going to help you with this little war, I want to get something out of it"

Shakiri was not surprised at Tyraan's reluctance. After all, he wass selling out one of his own. This would backfire one way or the other, Tyraan was well aware of that.  
"We have an agreement, you will get your file, however there is one last thing", again the viper continued to spread his poison.  
"Being?"  
"During the gatherings, I want him to be her personal bodyguard. I'm sure you'll be able to justify it to all parties, past experience and such"

"Unacceptible", Tyraan denied the proposal.  
"How is that?", Shakiri replied too confident.  
"It is not my intention to tick off a Satai, especially not a Religious one. There's enough friction as it is"  
"But you have been ordered by the council", the Night Walker explained.  
"You are not the council, Shakiri"  
"The council has ordered you to pick a ship. You have chosen one with prior experience on missions of this kind. The Tiris works well with the Satai or are you willing to publicly state otherwise?", Shakiri pushed further. He felt Tyraan was caving. He had him in a corner, all he needed to do was strike.  
"When this blows up, it'll be in your face", Tyraan snapped and cut the line.

* * *

"Do you have it?", she asked.  
"Of course. Finest quality", Robert assured the black woman. As always she was wearing too much make up, though he refrained from telling her in fear he may have to miss those devil red lips of hers.  
"Thank you. You know I can't do without it on this"  
Gladys slipped the small square package into her jacket's pocket and turned around.  
"No last words?", Robert joked.  
She hesitated, but turned in the end. "It's not as if you'll never see me again"  
"If you disappoint I won't", he emphasised once more.  
"Bobby if you don't trust me, then why give me the responsibility of direction the mission?", she confronted him.

_Because I have to take care of the other part here… _He could not admit this to the woman yearning for such an opportunity.  
"Has everyone been informed?", he dodged the question.  
"Stop worrying Bob! I did everything you asked, everyone knows and they'll all be where they're supposed to be. Now can I go or do you want me to miss my flight?", the woman got agitated. Somehow she felt he meant well, but being the emotional nitwit he was, it wasn't getting across.  
"Alright go. But remember, don't involve Kyle. I have a feeling the Psi Corps will be around"

* * *

"An inter-galactic cross-species race? You're kidding me", Renati jested hanging head-down from her meditation bar.  
Varas had gotten used to talking to her upside-down friend, but nevertheless enjoyed startling her every morning. Unfortunately for her giggles, Renati was getting better at her balance.

"Seriously though. Apparently it's a yearly event, but the race organising it wants a finger in the Babylon 5 project, so they have opened it up to 'all galactic races of importance'", Varas explained.  
"And Rathenn feels we should participate?", Renati swayed.  
"Technically the order came from upper hand", Varas explained.  
"Then why not send the Warrior Caste? They have much better pilots than we do", Renati unintentionally insulted her friend.  
"They do not!", she scoffed.  
"Ah, I see. They refused"  
"It's complicated", Varas retaliated.

Renati sighed and pulled herself up, now sitting on the leveled bar.  
"Do you have to do that?", Varas commented with irritation.  
"Keeps me flexible", she joked and nimbly jumped off. In truth she just found it a much more interesting way to start a day as opposed to just getting out of bed, especially seeing as she didn't sleep much at all anymore.  
Her landing was less than elegant. As her foot hit the ground she almost collapsed from the shot of pain jolting through her.  
"I told you to be more careful! It's not fully healed yet", Varas bent over in concern.  
"I'm fine.. he didn't hurt me that badly", she based her eyes and quickly added a correction for that was a lie.

Faranth had damaged her both physically and morally. There was nothing much she could do about it, which didn't make the process any easier.  
Rathenn had been disappointed, but not judging about the loss of the shadow ship. He did utter his concern about this enemy who both Varas and Renati had so vaguely described.

Renati was being Renati: in denial of the pain, but obsessively searching for answers. All Varas could do was aid her in this quest against the Darkness.

"So how come we are _blessed_ with this honour?", Renati grunted while sipping from the glass of fresh juice Varas had brought her. "Nusen'taal"

"I volunteered", Varas stated proudly.  
"You what?!?", her friend squeaked.  
"I volunteered", Varas kept calm.  
"For the both of us?!?"  
"I expected you'd want to be with me in such a potentially hostile environment, you know, partnership and all"  
"But there will be Narn and Centauri and-"  
"Renati, if you're xenophobic, why in Valen's name did you become Anla'Shok"

Renati pouted her lip in protest, but then mumbled: "It's different when it's political"  
"But that's the good part!", Varas exclaimed in excitement, "We're not there to be on any debate tables or bodyguard any officials. We get to participate in the games, for an inside view! Rathenn is sending out Tulann for the surroundings, plus channels inform me that we will even be sending an official ambassador"

"An ambassador for the Minbari people to other species? Ha!", Renati giggled Varas into laughter.  
"I wonder who they saddled up with that task", Varas admitted to the glee of the matter, but then froze together with Renati's gaze.

By the ancients, not her…

* * *

"So does he know already?", Chu'Domo looked across from her at the Warrior comfortably seated on the triangular cushion.  
"He has been informed by Tyraan, yes"  
"Any reaction?", Mir asked, raring to know.  
"Professional as always, though I know he agreed with grave reluctance", Myana answered equally pleased. She did not like the recent tension in the Clans, it needed to be kept in check.  
"Do we intervene?", Oorehak (1)asked worried.  
"No, let it play out. Naroon has enough experience and pride to handle this properly. Besides I want to know how things fare on a political level. From a neutral and trustworthy source", she added.

"Hmmm neutral", Mir murmured just loud enough for them to hear, "What about the recent developments around this source of yours and the Religious Caste. Any word on that?"  
A very powerful 'No' came from both Myana and Chu'Domo in unison.  
Clearly they both kept a close eye on the matter, but a fruitless search from both ends worried Mir.

"Really?", she wondered while grinding her spoon on the bottom of her cup.  
"There has been no further news. Either they have given up or they're very good at hiding", Chu'Domo insisted.

Krrr… krrr…

"Knowing Naroon, it's probably the former. When he realises something is not worth pursuing, he ends it timely", Myana attempted to soothe the mind of the Religious Caste.  
"But what if she _is_ worth it?", Oorehak fuelled the fire of angry glares.  
"It's a realistic opinion", she emphasised, "It could provoke an incident"  
"We will cross that bridge when we get there", Myana scoffed.

"Speaking of incidents", the Shaibar'nik retaliated, "How come half of Yedor was without power last week?"  
"It was a calculation error", Oorehak replied just a tad too quickly.

"And now the _full _story behind it please", Chu'Domo joined in.

Oorehak scuffled somewhat uncomfortable, but yielded in the end.  
"The master was untraceable at the time. There was an acolyte who took over and unfortunately made the calculation error"  
"An acolyte took over in the absence of a Master? How is that possible?", Mir protested, "That's what backup procedures are for!  
What was the Master working on? We _demand_ know", she grinded her spoon once again.

"Not what.. who", Oorehak based her shoulders.  
Disappointment and frustration filled the circle before Myana closed off: "Never mind then. I'm sure the punishment has already been sufficient. Let us all know where it leads to"  
"It's quite the delicate matter. He's a very respected Master", Oorehak moused, "And so is the acolyte…"

Mir let out a heavy sigh of protest. "It should be ended immediately"  
"Yes, it has been taken care of. We just need to follow certain procedures"  
"Covering up ones", a sarcastic mumble from one of the women was added.

"Is it me or is every high ranking Minbari sexually involved in something they shouldn't be? Are we becoming more and more Centauri then?", Mir scoffed both at the situation and her now cold tea.

"I assure you it was not as far gone as the Warrior's interpretation of freedom", Oorehak quickly defended herself.  
"That-", Myana wanted to protest, but Oorehak quickly threw in the argument she actually wanted to present.  
"Perhaps if the Caste system were be a bit more lenient, these incident wouldn't happen"  
"Lenient???", Mir yelped, "Valen himself introduced—"

"So how is your grandchild?", Myana turned to Chu'Domo and let the noise fade in the background.

* * *

The section in the Anla'Shok R&D hangar bay Renati was lead to, revealed a very peculiar ship, shored with construction support.Â  
It looked like an enlarged Nial fighter, large enough to carry two occupants, but had a lot of extra clutter around it. Parts of it Renati recognised as Centauri, others Abbai and some she wouldn't even ponder on what they were.

Probably worst of al: it was pink.  
A darker shade, yes, but still very much pink.

"We're going to fly that?", she stated pessimistically.  
"Lovely, isn't she?", Varas spoke like a proud mother. "I hand-picked every part and put them together myself! Not barring the occasional piece of advise from our local engineers, but nevertheless!"  
She radiated glory and excitement as she climbed the scaffolding and urged Renati inside. With a complaining grunt the latter followed, her leg still aching from the wounds of previous battle. The tight bandages around it kept it firm and less painful while walking, but climbing stairs would never be fun.

The controls inside were remarkably extensive without being too complicated. Very nifty.  
There were two sides to it: one front and one rear cockpit. Both had comfortable room for one Minbari to lye down in, manning controls in front of them. In case of emergency two could squish in on top of one another in the same cockpit, but Renati praid that wouldn't be necessary.

"I presume from the current set up I'm supposed to shoot stuff?", Renati commented.  
"Errr, yeah. Given our different set of skills I thought that best", Varas commented.  
"Are you saying I can't fly?", Renati frowned.  
"Err.. well.. um.. not as such.. I mean—"  
"Oh Varas!", Renati chuckled in enjoyment, "I would smack us against the first large block in sight. Of course you'll do the flying!"  
"Hmpf"

"So why all the different technologies? Couldn't find what you were looking for in-house?", Renati continued the tease.  
"No", she pulled up her lip briefly in retaliation, "It's one of the tournament's rules: only 50% of your vessel can consist out of native technology Everything else needs to be alien, plus the fuel system is mandatorily Hyachan. Something about encouraging free trade and all"  
Renati nodded, but waited for the rest of the explanation.  
"There well be a couple of courses, even one in atmospheric context, but the one I am mostly looking forward to is the opening race around the local star system. It's an obstacle course in which you're allowed a limited amount of shots from a stunning technology to your choosing. Finally a chance to properly test my latest finding!", she said and tapped a container on the side.

"What is it?", Renati wondered, studying its shape.  
"It's something I came across, but modified into a usable item. I call it the Web of Light"  
"A bit cliché, no?"  
"Well I can't go saying Vorlon web now can I?"  
"You modified Vorlon technology? You're right, I can't wait to see that in action!", Renati exclaimed.

"Va'Salier Varas!(2)", a squeaky little voice shook the twosome out of their seats.  
"Lyna! You got here alright!", Varas climbed out of the ship to embrace the little girl. She had grown since the last time they had seen her.  
"Hello Rwenati", she said still a little shy.  
"Hello Lyna, how is my favourite little one?", she rubbed over the little girl's bald patch in friendship.  
"Do I see a new outfit there?", Varas commented.  
The little girl twisted her foot on the spot with a timid smile and nodded.  
"Did Av'sala(3) spoil you again?", she teased.  
"Vis(4)", she giggled while being cuddled for dear life by the two females.

Lyna was the occasional break Varas and Renati got. Whenever the child came by, they were granted some safer missions on which they could take her with them. A little Anla'Shok in training sort of speak.  
Though this mission did not qualify Renati's standard of 'safe', she wouldn't refuse her friend the joy of being with her niece.

Well niece, not really, but in her heart anyway. Varas had sisters nor brothers, mother nor father, but her grandmother's brother had a son who was the father to Lyna. He was no Anla'Shok himself for personal reasons … reluctant spouse … but enjoyed the fire in his daughter's eyes whenever she spoke of them.  
What better preparation than having her tag along every so often?

Varas flourished whenever the child was around. Being part of the little family she had left, it was well understandable.  
Having her with them would certainly spice up the mission.

The extra cushioned space between the pilot and the shooter made sense now.

* * *

The course was consisted of an asteroid field, the corona of a sun that required passing through, a nebula, a defence grid system built out of different sorts of technologies and of course the abnormal gravitational pull of the moon at the end.  
"Quite the challenge!", Renati said excited.  
"Don't worry, we'll be fine. Have you _seen_ the competition?", Varas showed a rare cocky side of herself.  
"Let's not count the kitae(5) before they hatched", Renati urged, but all she got in reply was a grunt.  
"Look! It's about to stawrt!", little Lyna exclaimed.  
Renati tugged her bandages once more and made sure everything was well in place before 'lift off'.

The contestants saw a large 3D projection forming between them and the space tribune. The construction was humongous. The specs state it can hold up to 1 million … one million! … visitors.  
The entertainment hosts of the event had been randomly drawn from a pool, irony selecting a Human and Minbari presenter.  
The Human race had Ian Hallman, a well known ISN announcer, as their representative accompanied by Lennier of the Third Fane of Chu'Domo for the Minbari.  
Neither Renati nor Varas knew the Minbari in question, but anticipated fireworks between him and the Human presenter.

The ships were neatly lined up next to one another on the starting grid, warming up their engines.  
All around the course several 'salvationers' were gathered: larger ships capable of dragging the little ones out of danger were they to get caught in a gravitational pull or what not.  
The Hyachans had quite the reputation for hosting safe events, though they could not foresee all. Every so often, casualties did happen.

"Welcome to this wonderful day, ladies and gentlemen. We are here today to witness the 111th Hyachian race, celebrating the birth of the Babylon project!  
Joining the event for the first time are many different races, one of which my dear partner-in-crime can account for! Take it from here, Lennier", Hallman spoke and gave the word to Lennier.  
The young Minbari flinched invisibly at the Human's over-flamboyance, as did many other Minbari watching the event.

"First of all I would like to thank the Hyachans for letting me co-host the auditive support of this happening.  
I have never before been granted such a public honour, for which I am very grateful"  
The Minbari listening did not need to look at the projection to know he clipped in a quick bow. Before he got too much off track, the ISN reporter pushed through another question.  
"Lennier, can you tell us some more about your team?"

"Let me emphasise they are not my team, but the team of the Minbari people", Lennier stated with Ian rolling his eyes off-camera.  
"The two pilots are both from our Religious Caste, albeit from different Families.  
Varas is of the Second Fane of Mir, while Renati is of the First Fane of Chu'Domo"  
"Chu'Domo eh? Does that mean you're related?", the Human threw in a cheeky joke.  
"No", Lennier denied and continued, "They both have very interesting histories. They studied at temple each in their own field of expertise up to the time of their second crÃ¨che. They were under the care of Shai Alyt Akel Zen...", Lennier told whole story of Varas and Renati's lives of education, leaving everyone but the Minbari bored. It was interesting to see how he beat around the Anla'Shok bush. The aliens would not understand.

"And in their 23rd year of apprentice ship, they-"  
"Yes, thank you Lennier for that very elaborate explanation of the Minbari's history", Hallman interrupted Lennier, who was shocked at the disrespect.  
"It is now well time to introduce the rest of this year's contestants!  
We already know a lot about the Minbari pilots, but let's give them a warm welcome anyway! Cheers to Varas and Renati!

Next to join us are last year's champions, Luc and Frank Robins! Let's see if they can get that title again this year!

The Drazi pilots Brack and Vro, we're looking forward to seeing you in action today! They finished 3rd in last year's race.  
The legendary Centauri team Virto and Vrzato, who finished second last year due to engine trouble, have been so kind to join us again this year. We hope to see you at your full potential this year!

G'Tor and G'Mak are the two new fighters for the Narn Regime. They replace last year's pilots who have gotten lost in conflict.

The Cascor Blion and Blops, we welcome you back to this event!

Brakiri Resha and Wakat honoured the 4th place last year, let's hope to see you do even better this year!

Then we have the fighters from the Gaim intelligence, who didn't provide us with any names so we'll just call them 1 and 2! Welcome Gaim 1 and 2!

Kalo and Tinti from the Abbai delegation suffered from spectacular engine troubles last year, let's hope they got that little miscalculation out of their system this time.

The Llort delegation sends two new pilots this year as well, Bri and Bry as their previous pilots unfortunately came to an untimely death hitting that asteroid.

We also welcome the Yolo Oni and Pi again to our race who did a swell job last time scoring the 5th place.

Last but not least, we welcome the organisers of this event, the Hyachan pilots Hapobemati and Hapobendata.

The Hyachans want to thank all participating races for this chance of large scale entertainment and trade. Thank you all!

Well that's all of them folks, tell me Lennier who do you bet is going to win?"

"Well, betting is a difficult option here as of course my personal favourite would be the Minbari, but as they haven't entered this race yet, it is difficult to predict how they will perform.  
Of course we can try to compare our technology to the other races', but we know our team has used a lot of alien technology to be in the clear with the rules, as our technology doesn't downgrade easily.  
So if you take into account all the variables of the new pilots and new equipment, different parcours, it's pretty difficult to make an accurate bet on who will win. The odds are incredibly variable", Lennier finished.

"Yes.. well, thank you Lennier for that very elaborate point of view. My money is on our guys of course! Luc and Frank, bring it home guys!"

The enigmatic sound of the human's voice on their speaker was irritating Renati.  
"How does he put up with him?"  
"I guess Lennier of the Third Fane of Chu'Domo has nerves of steel", Varas joked, though she truly felt sorry for him. What a vulgarly blatant Human that was!

"Ok let's get started folks, 30 seconds till lift off!", the annoying voice of Mr. Hallman spoke.  
Lennier didn't like the disrespecting remarks he had been given and wondered what he was doing wrong. Nothing so far in his opinion.

It was fun to observe the variety of the crowd. When most of the pilots were announced, the fellow men and women of their race made a lot of noise to cheer for them. When Varas and Renati were announced, all Minbari got up, bowed and got back to their seats.

"10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1.. GO!", the Human presenter shouted.  
Nine of the 12 ships sped off at incredible speed. The Centauri had already opened fire on the Narn and the Gaim's ship failed to start.  
The Narn returned fire on the Centauri ship, but it dodged! Some stun bursts accidentally hit the Gaim ship, which was pushed out of orbit and out of the race.  
After the Centauri were sufficiently satisfied with their pestering of the Narn, they sped off.

The Humans were taking the lead, followed by the Brakiri, Minbari, Drazi and Abbai. They soon formed the first block of the race, which was followed by the rest, tailed by the Centauri ship. Regardless of its initial delay, it was gaining ground pretty fast.

The team Renati … Varas worked like the usual dream. Excellent flying skills combined with a killer aim had already knocked back the Hyachans just before passing through the asteroid field.  
There was no auto-pilot allowed in the race of course, so any dodging of objects depended purely on natural reflexes.

Varas was in an almost meditative state while navigating her way through the asteroid field. Dodging the large ones was not the problem, the little ones were the nasty bits. They come at you with such speed and velocity, that by itself is frightening. If they would fly in a straight line, it wouldn't be an issue, but their easily distorted trajectory was what made them so pesky.Â  
Any minor shift in gravitational pull and they swing the other way.

To this end Varas had installed a device called the 'Gravitational Current Modeller' … GCM … in Renati's cockpit. As she couldn't look at both the GCM and the vast openness of space simultaneously, she relied on her co-pilot to inform her of any distortions of the currents. It's not full-proof, but it gives her a head's up.

"Bless Lennet an her engineering skills", Renati uttered when she worked the device. The original design had sprung from the mind of a Worker Caste Anla'Shok, now long deceased of course, but still remembered in the teachings. She developed it in a time where the non-Warrior Caste vessels hadn't such great manoeuvrability and thus direly needed the 'luxury' of anticipation.  
Her invention proved a great success, even praised by the then War Leader, that it is integrated in many smaller ships nowadays, albeit as an emergency measure … in case the auto pilot fails.

"Careful up ahead", Renati warned her friend. "There's a distortion just behind that large asteroid... though I cannot determine the source. Just take account of a 43 degree distortion of any objects lighter than 12 led(6) over the z-axis"  
Varas didn't reply, for it was obsolete. Renati knew she heard.  
"Lyna, you may want to hold on tight, the Abbai are trying to pass us by", Renati warned. In addition to the upcoming gravitational distortion, she cursed Abbai's engines for being poorly tuned. More distortion, more randomisation, just what she needed.

_Careful... wait for it... waaaait for it.... _

"Now!", Varas cried out. She hit the thrusters in unison with Renati's firing of the Vorlon web. The surge from the thrusters jerked a small asteroid out of orbit, forcing evasive action for the Abbai ship, straight into the Vorlon web.  
"Vim're!(7)", Varas exclaimed.  
"15 seconds of silence. Now get us out of here!", Renati shook the pilot back in the moment.  
"Did you ever find out wha-"

Just as she spoke, an asteroid popped up in front of the ship. Varas dodged with unseen reflexes, but not precise enough. The bottom of the ship scraped over the asteroid's rocky surface, damaging some of the hull.  
"I though you said a 43 degree distortion!", Varas yelled in irritation.  
"I did! I was!", Renati replied confused and councilled the monitor again.  
"What in Valen's name-"  
"Look out!", a high pitched voice warned.

Another dodge from Varas, this time between two asteroids, gave them the scare of a lifetime.  
"By the Ancients Renati, what is wrong with you? That was clearly 123 degrees! Over x! It came from beside us"  
The situation had become more dangerous than Varas liked, for once she was losing her cool.  
"But the monitor says- oh no... Varas it's changing", Renati faced her friend fear-eyed.  
"What do you mean it's changing? Gravity doesn't just 'change'"  
"I know, but it is. Something is causing it to change, the source I couldn't find earlier"

This new development made Varas turn pale. If something was changing the trajectory of the asteroids on purpose.. there was foul play involved.  
"How are the other -"  
"Already checked, some are affected, others aren't. At any rate it's difficult to tell with all the evasive action", Renati explained.  
"What's our safest way out, I don't care if it costs us the race, someone is cheating", Varas urged.  
"At the moment going through the denser field is safer, for the distortion the is at a constant rate of 14 degrees per object, declining once over 10 led. It's the long way around, but ironically the safest"  
"I've always dreamed of defying the universe", Varas spoke cynically as she took the only route out … through the high density of asteroids.

As for their opponents: the Abbai who had gotten back in the fight 15 seconds after being immobilised by the Minbari followed them down the asteroid field. Apparently they had drawn the same conclusion.  
None aside from the Centauri were brave … or foolish … enough to follow the Humans and Brakiri through the short end.  
"Madness", Renati uttered as she saw the ships.

The Brakiri suffered heavily until they decided to literally tail the Human ship … who seemed amazingly little affected by the whole ongoing.  
The Centauri ship got the full blow. It lacked the agility to evade the smaller, faster asteroids, but what it lacked in agility it made up for in hull. You have to hand it to them, they make some sturdy ships. The pilots 'wasted' some ammunition on several asteroids in an attempt to dodge them away from the ship. Some attempts were successful, others failed.  
In any case, it was a miracle they got out of there alive … and in one piece.

"If that's not foul play I'm re-carving my bone", Varas commented.  
"If that was foul play they could've done a lot better", Renati misunderstood.  
"Not them, the Humans! Or Brakiri for that matter... one of them planted something there"

Renati let out a sigh of relief: they too had made it through. It had not been an easy trip, but a fine challenge is never regretted. Only one more had hit them, clipping the back of the left wing.  
"You can come out now"  
A little head appeared from under Renati's cloak. Lyna had sought refuge when the last asteroid hit the ship.  
"Is it safe?"  
"Of course it is. Va'Salier Varas is flying, isn't she?"  
The small child climbed from under Renati back into her 'chair'. The ship was divided so that both Renati and Varas could feel as if they were in a Nial fighter, thus lying on their abdomen facing forward, but in-between their feet there was a small space reserved for the child. A pretty scary place to be when an asteroid impacts with the hull..

"Ok, how are we doing?", Varas asked equally relieved.  
Just as Renati wanted to reply, the _welcoming_ voice of the human presenter sounded through the speakers.  
"And after the first major obstacle in the race the ranking has undergone some changes: Our boys are taking the lead, but cannot rest assured for the Brakiri have dug their teeth in their tail wing, only 1 second apart!  
Following with a delay of 12 more seconds are the heavily damaged Centauri, or at least their ship is", the Human remarked distasteful, "Is there any news from the pilots?"  
"We have received a positive note that everyone is unharmed aside from minor injuries", Lennier replied serene and purposely kept his answer short.  
"Okay, well good to hear they're still in the fight then!  
Also still in, albeit at a very slow pace are the Minbari followed by the Abbai, the Hyachans and the Cascor. If y'all don't want to ruin your reputations, you better step on it!"

In irritation Varas switched off the speakers. "Step on it... I'll show him..", and then mumbled something deliberately incomprehensible. It was unheard of for a Religious Caste to lose their cool, let alone swear in front of a child.  
"What about the Llort?", she suddenly realised.  
"Haven't seen them since we entered the asteroid field"  
"Alright, none of our concern. Let's get going!"

Varas swirled over some crystals, drastically increasing the speed of the ship. She had one thrusters blow left, but her instinct told her to save that for a necessary moment.  
Suddenly the ship stopped accelerating.  
"What's wrong?", Renati worried.  
At first, no reply came from the pilot, busy analysing the control display, but then another muffled cry confirmed a problem.  
"In Valen's name, there's a limit on this Hyachan power source! We can't go any faster!"

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) Just for clarity; Oorehak is pronounced ô-ré-hak

(2) Va'Salier _(Adrenato)_: Aunt Varas!

(3) Av'Sala _(Adrenato)_: Grandmother

(4) Vis _(Adrenato)_: Yes

(5) Kita _(Adrenato)_:Minbari equivalent of chicken (plural: kitae)

(6) Led _(Lenn'A)_: Minbari unit of measureÂ to measure space objects. As a point of reference: a Nial fighter measures approximately 20 led, a Tigara class ship 42 led, a Sharlin 153 led.

(7) Vim're _(Vik)_: Gotcha!

* * *

Many thanks for your patience, my apologies it took so long!

Next chapter: **Dancing politics**


	43. Chapter 43: Dancing politics

**Dancing politics**

"There's a limit on this Hyachan power source! We can't go any faster than this, even though it's not yet running at full capacity!"  
"Foul play or native behaviour?", Renati urged as she saw the Abbai ship approaching once again.  
"I have no idea, but I can't fix it without your help!"  
Renati did something she knew she would regret, abandoning her seat in the shooter's position, to help out. Varas continued flying the ship, while Renati hovered her fingers over the status controls in search for a solution.

Varas was usually the brain of hacking into complex systems and figuring them out, but in this situation Renati would have to make due. At least she had the basics covered, so with the occasional tip from Varas, she soon managed to access the computer console that was attached to the power source.  
"Why didn't you take it off in the first place? It's Hyachan technology, they could overtake it at any time for all we know", Renati complained as she tried to get her head around the foreign system.  
"I tried, but the source failed to work unless it was attached. Besides, the rules stated the delivered parts should remain unaltered", Varas explained moving around the sun's corona as the course required. The ship shook under the heat of the gigantic ball of energy, but there was never a threat of succumbing. The Anla'Shok had made sure armour-plating on the hull was sufficient.

"The system is incredibly limited", Renati concluded", "I can't imagine it being tampered with. There's barely anything you can customise, let alone hack.  
I'm afraid we're going to have to override it with our own connectors.. did you bring any?"  
"I originally intended to install it with our own connector until I found out about the rules, so they're still there, but I cannot guarantee they will work.  
Do mind that if you take the Hyachan connectors off, we will lose power", Varas urged.  
"Don't worry, I think I have an idea", she said and opened the compartment her partner assigned.  
Varas held her breath. _She has an idea... _

"They're coming! They're coming!!", a little squeaky voice came from where Renati used to be seated. Lyna had placed herself at the gun, complaining about the approaching ships.  
"We have no time for it now Lyna, we will catch them later, I think"  
"But-"  
"Not now Lyna, please. I'm trying to focus!", Varas passed over her request.  
The child dashed back, disappointed her plead was not heard.

She turned to the controls and looked at the two approaching ships, one Abbai and one Cascor who had overtaken the Hyachans.  
Her little eyes grappled on to the control system for the gun, which she had carefully observed Renati operate.

"But they are coming..", she sobbed. Left without a reply, her little hands hovered over the controls. First off, she got some strange error message on the crosshair, but with a reflexive swipe she — accidentally? — set off the firing mechanism.. twice.  
Two Vorlon webs shot ahead and hit the Abbai ship dead on. It spun out of control, so far it was probably out of the legal racetrack.  
"Vim're!(1)", she yelped.

Varas turned around in shock at her cousin at the controls, but before she could protest, Renati's scream killed all previous thoughts. "Got it!!"  
The words were still warm on her lips when all the interior lights dimmed and the ship lost its power.  
Varas' eyes pierced the bitten lip of Renati's, but quickly turned ahead to manoeuvre the ship around. They still had the momentum of their speed, regardless of the loss of power.

"What did you do?!", the female gnarled in frustration.  
"You might want to try and slingshot us off the sun's gravity well, because this may take a while", she hid her face in shame behind a gasping hand. The power source now had three black scorch marks from connecting the Minbari power coupling to the Hyachan power source.

Renati didn't know that Varas had made two power circuits: one for the basic functions of the ship — engines, firepower, lights etc. but another for the more _vital_ parts such as life support and gravity control. There was no way she was going to leave that to alien technology.

_Figures.._

Some quick thinking and speed calculations on the hull — in lack of a better canvas — lead the disciple of Chu'Domo to the dangerous conclusion: they needed to rely solely on the power of the Hyachan source.  
"I need you to switch off our energy crystal", she stated.  
"Are you mad?", Varas yelped from behind the 'wheel'.  
"I know of the consequences, but the Hyachan power source can't handle the connection with ours. That's why it's only at half capacity. It _knows_ something else is running on the system, it's holding back"  
"Are you suggesting that thing is intelligent?", Varas scoffed.  
"No, just better core programming than I thought.  
The firmware — or whatever it is for the Hyachans — prohibits the source from exceeding the capacity on the power lines. However it miscalculates because of the interference from an outer source. I guess they never thought that would happen.

By disconnecting the console and connecting our power cables, I overloaded the source. It's damaged, but the damage is limited. The meters still read a fair amount of power.

If we let it loose on our system with the power crystal deactivated, it should run at full capacity _and_ give us life support", Renati explained her theory.  
"_Should_?"

Varas didn't like the odds of that. Of course, cutting life support would not have an immediate destructive effect. It takes a while for everything to cool down and air to run out, but for three beings in such a confined space, 'a while' is a matter of minutes. What if there are complications? What if the system doesn't reconnect?  
They needed to properly research this solution before applying it in practice. It was not their way to jump to conclusions.

"We cannot risk it", Varas said.  
"We're not risking much. If something goes wrong, we send our distress signal and they will come and pick us up", the determined Anla'Shok countered.  
"The power for the emergency signal also runs from that crystal Renati, I didn't have the time to install another separate one"  
"Then we'll just have to wave until they notice"

Just as Renati spoke her words, the Cascor ship passed them by at considerable speed. Bitten in the bone by shear pride, Renati lunged over to the control panel and switched off the power crystal. Before Varas could even think of initiating an override sequence, she had already confirmed and the ship now lost _all _power.  
Numb-struck at her friend's nonchalance, Varas' jaw dropped. She was too baffled to speak. Renati was either very sure or very reckless.  
In Valen's name, there was a child aboard the ship!

But Renati's confidence was not unfunded. She clicked the Hyachan console back onto the power system and restored the connection. Suddenly the ship took an enormous boost forward, shooting off in chase of the Cascorians.

Varas yelled something in Vik between excitement and utter fright no one really understood, but got the gist of it.  
"How could you ever doubt me", Renati spoke with a sly grin.

Little Lyna greeted Renati with big excited eyes as she got back into her seat. To the child, this was all a wonderful adventure. She felt perfectly safe amongst her two protectors, though Renati may carry a little too much sensationalism for her good.

* * *

The ship moved at a considerable faster speed. Now they were catching up! Halfway through the nebula they had overtaken the Cascorians and were now head to head with the Centauri. The Brakiri and Humans were just up ahead, battling along.

The race was fun again! The threesome had forgotten about their unpleasant encounter with the power source, though the events in the asteroid field lingered in both Anla'Shok's minds.

Renati didn't show it though, she thoroughly enjoyed taunting the Centauri with the occasional shot. Unfortunately the little critters were inventive and had countered her Vorlon web with a precision blast of their own — twice. They probably had a locking computer activated, which Renati didn't — just for nostalgia's sake.

"He it comes", Varas warned her friend. Up ahead was the final obstacle: the distorted gravitational pull around the moon. In a strip scattered with orbital defence platforms of all major races. Many had gladly _lent_ a specimen if only to see it blast an enemy ship out of the sky. Of course it was race-specific. The Centauri orbital platform did not fire at the Centauri. The Minbari hadn't supplied any — something for which Varas cursed the Warrior Caste.

_None could be missed, my bone!_

The Brakiri had shortly taken the lead in the race, though the Humans were tailing them closely. So close that they would fly straight onto them were the Brakiri to decelerate.  
The race between the two frontals was getting more intense, forcing both to slow down and focus on their movements. Between trying to outmanoeuvre each other, they still had to dodge the incoming stunning assaults from the several defence platforms.

Both the Centuari and Minbari made good use of the situation to approach the lead. The foursome was now clustered together with such a lead the remaining players were obsolete.  
Varas got caught up in the moment, pulling off some flying stunts Renati's stomach wished she hadn't.

Suddenly out of nowhere came a powerful blast, hitting the Brakiri ship dead-on. Varas made a reflexive evasive manoeuvre away from the suddenly-stopped-in-space ship. Its wings were burning, hull was blackened, but the sensors still picked up life forms.

What in the world had done that?

"Watch out!", Renati yelled noticing a power surge on her display. From up ahead came another powerful blast, but again they were quick enough to dodge it. As the approached, the source of the danger became apparent: a gigantic Human defence platform.  
"Figures", Renati grunted. The stakes had just been upped.  
"Just keep an eye on the next peak, I can get us out of here", Varas spoke in concentration, almost meditative.

The two hind ships held back in speed lightly, only the Humans remained at their top speed.  
They must be insane or-  
"It's rigged!", Renati yelped. Just before another large blast came from the station, she picked up a small one — just enough to be a message or warning signal — directed at the Human ship.  
"They know when it's coming!"

Renati kept an eye on the warnings being sent to the Human ship as an advance to when to dodge. It was obvious that the blast did more than stun. They were probably just out of lethal range, but power enough to be seriously damaging. That way they wouldn't get disqualified, for the weapon still qualifies as non-destructive. And if an accident would occur: oops, something malfunctioned.  
Malfunctions, the foundation of Human technology.

Just then, another blast was fired at the ships, the Humans naturally dodging, straight on collision course with the Centauri ship. The energy pike had been larger than the previous ones, providing a more destructive beam.

Varas acted on a decision she would regret only in the form of lacking revenge, but could not stand risking the life of another for some silly race — even if the others were not of her kind.  
With sideways bloosters activated, she slammed her ship against that of the Centauri's, pushing them out of the way of the destructive beam's trajectory. It sheared passed them, cutting through the 'Nial vessel' wing, destroying any hope of catching up on the leaders.  
It didn't matter, lives had been spared.

Lyna jumped under Renati's cloak again in fright and was as pale-faced as her protector.

_Are you mad? What were you thinking? Have you completely lost it? _

Renati held back from venting her fright on her friend, for she did the right thing. She did what was nobel, what was honourable. She did what Minbari do, even if it was for a Centauri.

* * *

"Miss Thorton?", Gladys called out through the steamy kitchen, "Ah there you are. Did you get all the ingredients specified?"  
"Yes I did, madam. The corn, purebred without any genetic modifications, the true sea salt salvaged from the North sea and the fresh mushrooms", the woman with the long hair replied.  
"The mushrooms, are they fresh? True _parisiens_?", Gladys snapped more than she asked.  
"Of course!", the woman replied slightly offended.  
"What is your guarantee?"  
"Madam, I know the person who grows them in Avignon personally. I can assure you they are the freshest and best you will find around the galaxy", she protested. The pushy woman was getting on her nerves. It's not because she paid her well, she gets to boss her around. Where have the days gone when just a word sufficed?  
Right, those were not hers but those of her uncle. The galaxy sure has changed.

"Alright, well they better be. We paid a steep price for them", Gladys commented.  
"Quality. It's my specialty", Amelia bit back.  
What was with this woman? So fussy about every little detail. She understood the responsibility of Human cooking in this event, but really, if there's something wrong with the dish, blame the cook. Amelia's good were fresh and of the best kind.

"We'll see then. If the ambassador likes it, we may request your services again for an event of this scale", Gladys sort of promised. She left the kitchen, her heart pounding. She was usually a lot cooler when doing jobs for Robert, but this time she carried so much responsibility.  
Not only that, but the things she had done to get here! She had blackmailed one corporation CEO and outbid the other on the stock market to get the majority of shares in the catering company. When rumours started that the catering would be done by the Hyachans themselves, she had to _motivate_ a diplomat to talk the Hyachans into letting the Humans take care of it. Because of their _versatility_ and interest in peace around the galaxy…

Right. At least they bought it.

She was here now, everything was in place — nothing could go wrong. Still she had the knowing feeling something unexpected was about to happen.

_Guess this is why Robert insisted on so many back-up plans _

The first consisted of a dish served in the honour of the Human ambassador, Sinclair. One of his favourite foods were fresh mushrooms, which goes well together with an allergy of the minister of foreign affairs: salt.  
The plan was to create a dish with fresh shrooms and corn, of which the taste was quite overwhelming for someone used to prefabricated foods, combined of course with the special ingredient salt. Because of the dominant flavour of the mushrooms, the addition of salt is a mere finesse, barely detectable.

The allergic reaction was plan A. There was still plan B and C, and if all else fails Gladys' plan D was a more spectacular malfunction of an electronic device in his quarters.  
The dark skinned woman stopped when passing a mirror and pulled out her lipstick. She coloured the faded shade of red to a brighter version of itself, repositioned her curly hair and then stepped out into the large — no humongous — reception hall. The press tag on her uniform allowed her sure passage amongst the many distinguished guests.

Target: Rei Nagasaki, Minister of Foreign affairs.

* * *

Renati rubbed her hand across her thigh, smiling at the unusual feeling the ceremonial dress gave. It had been a while since she had worn anything of _true_ Religious garments, let alone a Dumo'bran(2).  
It felt.. light.  
Hers differed slightly from Varas' dress, which was green and decorated with golden curls. Renati's had light pink decorations on a bordeaux soft and smooth fabric.

The evening gathering was pretty boring, very few familiar faces — or at least none they could talk to. They had heard rumours of Satai Delenn and Shai Alyt Hat Shakiri attending the event, but so far no visual confirmation.  
Instead, Renati enjoyed herself looking at the many different species co-existing with one another in this room. Centauri were talking to Abbai, the Narn were pleading their case to the Brakiri — who showed very little sympathy of course — even Pak'ma'ra were mingling with the crowd.  
All they were missing was a Vorlon.

The thought of that Babylon station crossed Renati's mind. Imagine a station having this situation twenty-four seven. Not just the security, but especially structural implications are gigantic. Not everyone sleeps, bathes or even breathes the same way. And what of communication? At times like these she was grateful for being Anla'Shok, understanding the majority of languages spoken.

She giggled at something the Pak'Ma'Ra said in broken English, but got a poke from Varas.  
"It's not funny. They cheated but got away unpunished"

Varas and injustice.  
She had real troubles accepting sometimes life isn't fair. The usually cool and calm Religious Caste could really gnaw into it when it comes to justice. She was right of course, but unfortunately the universe had other plans.

"They will get what they deserve, don't worry. Just give it time. Tomorrow is another day, another race", she comforted her friend somewhat.  
"If we can fix the ship in time. The blast clipped off more than half the wing. We don't have enough spare parts to fix that. I didn't expect a wing to be missing after the first round", she spoke darkly.  
"We'll just have to mingle and gather some support then", Renati said cynically, but Varas took it seriously.  
They weren't getting anywhere standing on the sidelines like this. Time to make some new contacts.

* * *

"I did not think it would come to the Minbari asking us for aid. Have you no parts of your own then?", the prudish ambassador scoffed at Varas' request.  
The general next to him however did not agree.  
"Ambassador Maray, if I may. If it weren't for the bravery of these two pilots Virto and Vrzato would possibly not have made it to the end of the track unharmed"  
"Possibly", the ambassador scoffed.  
"Most certainly", the general insisted.  
"Hmpf. Well General Varia, if you're so eager to burn your fingers on a pair of Minbari, be my guest", he said and turned his back exclaiming to his next victim, "Loretta, my dear, what's new on Earth?"

_General Varia… where have I heard that before? _

Renati's memory failed her, she would have to look it up later.  
"We are grateful for your help general", Varas emphasised, "The damage to our ship grieves us greatly"  
"The ambassador may not see it that way, but the wellbeing of my men outweigh the cost of any ship part. You have my gratitude", the general bowed and excused himself as well.

At least they had that covered.  
"Va'malier! Va'malier! Another Minbari!!", Lyna tugged on Varas' dress.

Well there you have it, the rumours were true. In the distance they spotted Satai Delenn, with next to her… Shai Alyt Naroon!  
Renati's heart skipped a beat, resulting in a shy chuckle.  
"Oh that poor thing. _Delenn duty_", Varas exclaimed when noticing him.  
"You don't know the half of it. He doesn't even like other species", Renati grunted.  
"Which?"  
"Any!"

"Isn't it proper to introduce ourselves to the Satai?", Varas gave her friend the excuse she was looking for. She better behave in front of the Satai. If she got wind of her and the Warrior.. Varas shook away the thoughts.

_Renati, what have you gotten yourself into? _

Regardless of her personal opinion, Varas still supported her friend, albeit in a mild matter. No harm could be done with a little conversation, and if it makes Renati happy, why not?

Satai Delenn was eyeing the crowd when a tugging at her gown grabbed her attention.  
"May I help you dear?", she looked at the curious eyes of the child standing beside her.  
"We were second Satai!", the little one stated proudly.  
"In what my dear?"  
"In the race!", the little one replied confused. "And I shot one. Twice"  
Lyna moved her little chest forward into a proud pose with her last statement.  
"Of course you did", Delenn replied.

"It's true!", the child wailed disappointed at her disbelief. "Ask Va'malier Varas!"  
"Varas? "  
"Of Mir", Varas' voice added.  
The Satai's eyes moved away from the child and locked on the two Religious Castes now in front of her. Respectful bows introductions were exchanged.  
"The Anla'Shok greet you, Satai Delenn", Renati spoke.  
"I have come to this event as an ambassador of the Minbari people, you may refer to me as such", the Satai instructed.  
"Does this enchanting child belong to you?"

"Yes, this is my niece Lyna. Lyna of Mir", Varas followed up on formalities.  
"She's charming", Delenn stated.  
"And talented", a male voice from beside her spoke.

_It speaks!_

Delenn lost het reason of how to react. Was it meant as a joke? Was he serious? Would it be insulting not to comment?  
It was the first time Naroon had said anything since his company joined hers, aside from the mandatory introductions of course. During every conversation she had undergone with fellow ambassadors, other officials and what not, he had been as silent as a grave. It was almost as if she had a ghost standing next to her. Darned Warriors and their xenophobia. This was something Delenn was determined to change. She would open the eyes of the Minbari people to the people of the universe. Show them how similar we are in the end. We should embrace our differences, not scold one another's diversity.  
Why was it so difficult?

"Thank you Shai Alyt", the little one shook Delenn out of her train of thought. She noticed some pride on the face of the Warrior when the young Religious Caste was able to read his rank. Acolytes this young have not been taught to do so yet, because their contact with the Warrior Caste is minimized until a certain age, however she must have picked it up somewhere else.  
"Did you enjoy the race, Ambassador?", Varas tried getting the conversation going by favouring the Satai.  
"A little too violent for my taste, but interesting nonetheless", she replied in truth.  
"It was quite amusing actually", Renati blurted, but got jabbed into silence by Varas.  
"I'm sure it's a whole different experience _inside_ the cockpit", she tried not insulting the Anla'Shok she recognised as part of her entourage from the mission to Sol.

Her eyes flashed to Renati's side for an instant before she excused herself.  
"I have some matters to take care of. After all, I am here on business", she explained, "I will take this one alone Shai Alyt"  
She had decided for herself the surroundings were safe enough not to have a bodyguard by her side at all times. Not only was it unpleasant for the Shai Alyt, but she feared his presence interfered with her negotiations.

"Satai, I insist that-"  
"No, Shai Alyt, you have been very kind and patient. I'm sure there are some guests here you wish to converse with yourself. I'm confident you're able to perform your duty at a distance"  
"In that case", he grabbed her arm and slid up her sleeve, clipping on a small wristband before she got a chance to complain about it.  
She looked baffled, but all she got was a determined look from Naroon.  
"To ensure I can keep my honour at a distance", he explained. Before Delenn muffled the device away under her sleeve, Renati recognised the crystal inside as similar to the one she and Moran were bound by.

_This is going to be interesting _

Naroon activated something on his own armguard, while Delenn stepped away from the assembly.  
"Do not leave the boundaries of this room Ambassador. That's an order", he enforced a rank he did not have.

* * *

"Bodyguard duty again?", Varas teased the Warrior.  
"Yes, it seems the honour is bestowed upon me regularly", he answered rather dry.  
"You must really embrace you rank", Renati added.  
"Oh it gave me a good excuse to break a Narn's arm today", he grinned a little too satisfactory.

Lyna rubbed her belly, followed by a determined tugging of Varas' dress.  
"Oh dear, I'm sorry. I'm starving as well. Let's go look for some food", she said and grabbed the child's hand. Turning around, she quickly whispered: "I will bring you something"  
"Bye Shai Alyt!", the little one waved.  
"Until later", Naroon smiled.  
"Did you hear? He wants to see me again!", Lyna chattered on.

Naroon's eyes met with Renati's briefly, whose quickly descended to his shoes. Too public!  
"You did well", the Warrior attempted to break the ice.  
"Oh it was rigged from the start. Let's try not mentioning the race when Varas is around", Renati insisted. It was a very touchy subject.  
"Better luck tomorrow then. At least you know what to prepare for", he added, but got nothing but a stare in the distance. When looking behind her, he noticed two Gaim eying them.

"What are they saying?", he smiled.  
"Hello.. I think. I'm trying to say the same, what's they're reaction? They're awfully quiet", Renati winced.  
"Hard to tell with the mask...", he commented wryly, but then had to hold back laughter.  
"You need to work on your Gaim dialect Renati, one of them just fainted"  
"Oh dear!", she exclaimed and headed over to them.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention", she apologised while helping the Gaim to his feet.  
"Vrrrr... Forgiven! Didn't expect, our fault. Next time we greet in person!", the Gaim replied distorted.  
"Told you", the other complained.  
"But the queen..."  
"Is always right. Suggestions will be made"

Renati smiled at their innocent bickering, but was affronted by a bright white light flashing in her face.  
"What in Valen's name?"  
Naroon was ready to interfere, but held back seeing the Human absolutely unaware of her wrongdoing.  
"What are you doing?"  
"I just took your holographic picture", the dark female replied, not caring about the Minbari's discomfort.  
"Can you do that less violent?", Renati snapped.  
"The light flash helps me get a better image"  
"Improve your technology", she barked.

What Renati didn't realise was that the female reporter wasn't shooting her, but in the Human Ambassador standing somewhat further. Or shall we say his company, who was royally enjoying his pastry.

* * *

Renati and Naroon enjoyed some friendly conversation until Varas returned with something to nibble on. Nothing too obtrusive, the situation was far too exposed for that, thought the longing for a more private location was present.  
"Here, these are safe", Varas spoke when presenting the edibles. Lyna had already stuffed her little face in an apparent Centauri delicacy: Rakki-tesh. A sweet combination of fruit and dough, lovely on the little one's lips.

Where was the harm in letting the child enjoy the night?

"Oh dear, look at that", Varas pointed at the Minbari presenter Lennier in the crowd. Apparently he had not yet been freed from the claws of Hallman. Too polite to just leave him there, it seemed Lennier was stuck in an infinite web of Human conversation.

"I'll go and put him out of his misery", Renati said flatly.  
"The Human?", Naroon said surprised, ready to hold her back.  
"No! Lennier!", she burst out into laughter.

Containing her giggles and walked over to Lennier, Varas and Lyna watching from a distance. Naroon wasn't confident in the situation ending well, so followed her there.  
Bowing to him further than she needed, Renati asked in English: "Most honoured Lennier, may I borrow a moment of your time?"  
Lennier looked surprised at first but played along.  
"Of course you may", he said and approached her. The Human followed in his tail but was buzzed off by Renati. "Minbari business", she said bluntly hoping he'd get the message now.

Renati guided Lennier over to Naroon, safely away from that creep Hallman.  
"Thank you. Two more minutes with that man and I would have personally thrown him off the dome!", he outed.  
"How very Warrior of you", Naroon spoke. Lennier hung his head and sighed: "I will do penance later"

* * *

"At the moment he remains unaffected, but the next phase is already underway. They are planting it as we speak", Gladys paused for a moment after speaking into the device.  
"No, no complications so far. Some very interesting guests, there's more to this meeting than meets the eye. I'm trying to find out as much as I can while not losing track of the main objective  
...

Of course, I would not disappoint.

...

Yes I will see to it. You will hear from me when it is gone.

...  
Alright. Out."

She eyed the room, scanning the curious display of race mixture. At the start of the evening, most races had kept to themselves, but now there was some interesting mingling.  
A Narn and an Abbai conniving in a corner, the Humans going by every race as if obligatory to speak to all, the Hyachans finding out about the comfort of their guests, a Brakiri and Gaim in an unlikely conversation even a Centuari and Minbari general appeared to having a good time with one another.

_None of my concern, let's get this over with _

Gladys crossed through the bulk of the crowd to the other side of the room, avoiding the mass dance floor that had sprouted with many feety officials.  
She left through one of the large double-doored exits, noticed by none.

* * *

Some commotion had arisen in the kitchen. The chef was complaining about missing this and missing that, yelling at everyone and thing coming in his path for he would not be able to handle the 'coup de feu'.

"Ou sont mes notes?!? Le petit papier que j'avais mis ici? Merde alors, ou est cette petite peste?!?", he demanded in French.

Ai, chefs and their notes. Probably some special order for some high placed john he wasn't supposed to forget about.  
Amelia shook her head. Whether French, Dutch, Russian or American, chefs are all the same in the end: short fused miracle workers.  
She admired their work from a professional attitude, but her admiration ended there. She had no aspirations of her own. No, rather travel around the universe delivering goods. You get to see new places, meet interesting people.

Entwined in her own thoughts, Amelia didn't notice the waiter headed her way carrying a new load of desserts for the guests.  
A wild range of French swearwords flew her way when she fell higgledy-piggledy over him. The tray with the little masterpieces irreversibly hit the ground, destroying hours of work.  
Amelia apologised, but could not temper the chef's wrath. Fortunately for her he didn't have much time and rushed away doing all he could do: putting others to work again.

Short fused miracle workers.

Feeling guilty nonetheless, she grabbed a dustpan and brush to helped clean up the mess she caused. She scooped up the broken shards of glass and stowed them away in some protective foil. After disposing of the package in the large waste bin, she noticed some more garbage next to it.

_Might as well clean it up while I'm at it _

Amelia bent over to the mess, but something caught her eye. Amidst the rubble lay a small ball of paper. Curiosity made her unfold and read it, but soon Amelia regretted she did so.

The chef's notes…. They were not some fancy request, but a list of allergies of the guests. Several of the ingredients she had delivered herself — you'd be surprised what some people are allergic to! — but if there was no available list, all the dishes would be the same…

Why would anyone throw this away?  
She had to undertake action, even if it was too late for many of these. They were mostly ingredients served in the appetisers, they had already reached desert.

"Chef! J'ai quelque chose pour vous!"(3)

* * *

Shakiri had enjoyed stealing Delenn away from the Human company she was in. They were brothering her too much to his liking. What was this female's deal?

As announced, he had come. Not out of interest for the race of course, but just doing what he does best: sniffing around.  
After some socialising, he had even persuaded her into a drink, albeit something safe.  
"Shall we?", he broke the twenty minute long boring conversation.

Delenn looked confused at not just his sudden change of subject, but more so his proposition.  
"If we are to follow the new tradition of mixing Castes in good fun", he extended his hand while smiling at his knowledge of rumours. He wasn't sure Delenn was aware of what was happening amongst _her people_, but if she didn't he had now given her enough incentive to find out.

Delenn did not react to his strange remark — it was not the first thing about him that struck her as odd — but did accept his hand in dance.  
They moved according to tradition: one pair of hands is held together, away from the bodies, much like the human way, but instead of holding hands, the palms are placed against each other with fingers closed.  
The female's left hand lies on the chest of the dance partner, relaxed with fingers closed. The male's complimentary hand needs to be more discreet. It is placed on the outside of the hand that is on his chest, holding it on the upper arm / shoulder depending on the size of the dancing couple.

Shakiri moved more smoothly than Delenn did; he was apparently more experienced. She would have to work on that.  
This time it was the Satai who was not listening to what the Clan leader of the Night Walkers was talking about. She was carefully eying the crowd for possible political interests. The night was nigh, the drinks had richly filled many a glass, secrets were about to surface. Once in a while she gave a very general reply to Shakiri, keeping up appearances.

How she loved multitasking.

* * *

"But I don't want to sleep yet Va'malier", the little one complained while rubbing her eyes in fatigue.  
"Lyna you are going to bed and that's final. Tomorrow is another day, it will come more quickly than you want it to", Varas hushed the child under the sheets.  
"But -"  
"One more word and we will do the full sun greeting tomorrow! To all suns in this solar system", she threatened.  
The little one got the point. There usually wasn't much resistance in Minbari children for they had a good sense of discipline, but away from her natural habitat it was normal for the little one to try out rebellion.

Renati smirked at the reaction of the small child.  
"She's got all it needs you know", she spoke when Varas returned into the living quarters. All official guests had been assigned living quarters aboard a giant orbital station, fitted to their needs as much as possible. The regular structure had been expanded with a new section, large enough to carry the extra capacity of the guests. Quite the trouble, considering they would only use it once a year, tearing it down again every time. How very unefficient.  
Varas and Renati enjoyed a small quarters for two, with no more space than was needed to move around. Good thing they were used to these situations.

"It doesn't say anywhere you need to be rebellious to be Anla'Shok", Varas countered her friend's statement.  
"Not rebellious, different", Renati grinned.  
"Let it go Renati, her mother will never agree to it. Rhekis has tried and failed convincing his spouse since Lyna's birth"  
Renati eye-browed her friend questionably. Did she really think that meagre argument would diminish her motivation?  
"Give it time", she urged.  
Varas smiled. "I wish"

To her surprise Renati didn't join her in the sofa with a book. She grabbed a scroll from her bag and headed for the door.  
"Where are you going?", Varas complained.  
"Reading", Renati smiled.  
"Since when does my company not suffice?", Varas taunted playfully, knowing very well where she was going.  
"Since I enjoy the poetic passion of a Warrior"

"Sha'al Leshath has not yet released his collection 'Shards of a Mirror', but I find it a very interesting excuse", Naroon welcomed her.  
"Ah, that's where you're wrong", Renati entered the living quarters — just as small as theirs. "In situations like these it pays well to be Anla'Shok"  
She stepped backwards in the direction of the sofa while looking at him tauntingly.  
"I hold here... a first draft of 'Shards of a Mirror', hand copied notes from the first acolyte of Sha'al Leshath", she swayed the scroll left to right in a tease.  
"You do not", he spoke in disbelief.  
"Oh I do", she grinned while he approached.  
"You lovely little-", his words were cut short by her lips on his. Eager, hungry lips.

Though he liked her reaction, he cut it short.  
"We should do this properly", he smiled and walked over to the sofa. When he took of his shoes and gestured for her to join him, her heart warmed. It was perhaps one of the shortest, but deeply meaningful rituals Minbari have.

When a host takes off his shoes in front of a guest, he accepts them in his home. There are always welcome and safe there. A traditional ritual amongst family of course, but also the foundation of many friendships — or an indication of a serious relationship.

Renati smiled and cuddled up beside him, shoeless. Together they enjoyed carefully unwrapping the scroll and reading through the fresh words of the mind of Sha'al Leshath.  
Silent with words, but filled with thought the couple devoured the scroll from beginning till end. It took a while after the last read words for the first spoken to follow, but it was clear they had the same taste.

"He has outdone himself again", Naroon uttered, "Wonderful use of suggestivity"  
"Well you do notice it's still a draft", Renati playfully stated, needless to add she was actually in total awe of the piece.  
"The only thing I regret after reading one of these it that it takes so long for another to come", Renati spoke on a serious note.  
"Such is the case with great skill, it takes time", Naroon agreed.

Time. Never was there a more dubious concept. There is so much of it, yet in the perciever's eye there is always too little.  
The thought passed his mind when looking at the female cuddled up to him. Would he get to spend more of this precious unit with her? Or would it suddenly be cut short?

They were evolving to a stage in their relationship where it was hard to ignore the obvious obstacles in their way. They cannot keep on sneaking around. How will they come forth with it? What method would have the least consequence? How could he protect his crew from the retribution for his actions?

Perhaps instead of worrying about getting more time, they should make better use of the time they have at their disposal. They have what is now, why not make use of it? Who is to stop them?

For a moment he had to control himself. Were it his previous thoughts, was it her smell or perhaps her figure so inviting in that dress? Perhaps the combination of all in a single cup? Regardless, Naroon fought hard to withstand the will to venture into the battlefield of urges and emotion.

It was quite ironic actually. When looking at it from an objective perpective Naroon had it all: widely skilled, highest rank, status, a ship of his own, loyal crew, respectable family and so on. He didn't even need to go through much trouble finding a feasible mate, were he interested. However for decades it had not interested him — barring the occasional spike of hormones of course. Not even the voluptuous Fara had been able to convince him to settle for some romance in his life.

But Renati... she made his bone tingle.

Renati was the impossible, the one he could not have. The Religious Caste who freed him from a Drahk jail — it took weeks for his Warrior ego to swallow that — the Religious Caste who had more field experience with exotic weapons than he could dream of, the Religious Caste who had played his game along — knowingly or not — and lured them both into an inescapable trap.

Perhaps that last bit is a bit too dramatic. After all, he _did_ like the situation he was in. A true Warrior's challenge. Not only on the obvious level — getting society to agree with it and all — but still on a personal level as well.  
Her Religious upbringing gave her very different ideas of important social concepts such as intimacy, making it difficult for him to court her properly.

He got enough signs from Varas that Renati had already well exceeded the Religious boundaries that were proper until some other ritual or formal acknowledgement should be performed, but he was interested in neither the ritual nor the wait.  
But what was her point of view? Did she get a say in it or were the Religious rules law?

If Renati didn't want to follow the exact Religious procedure, was he stepping out of bounds or not?  
Too much of a moral dilemma to be handled with a toothsome female in one's arms.

He both hated and loved the hormonal whirlwind she sent him through. But enough waiting, time for conquest.

"Are you alright? You're very quiet", Renati worried.  
"Not worried, contained", he admitted. The female eyed him puzzled.  
"We have different traditions", he mumbled but didn't give her the time to think about it. She would understand. His lips would make her understand.

Renati was overwhelmed by Naroon's sudden display of passion, but didn't pull back. She liked the feeling of him taking control, like he knew where they were going.  
Instead of passively enjoying his kisses, Renati followed. She scooted up to him to be more comfortable, until she was sitting on top of him.  
Not expecting this sudden positive reply, he broke off the kiss momentarily looking for confirmation.  
"Then show me what yours are", she whispered.

There was nothing she feared. She was safe in the arms of her Warrior.

A Warrior with a mind set for conquest. He moved from Renati's lips to her ear, down her neck and carefully onto the exposed skin of her chest. He felt her fingers clamp onto his shoulders from this new feeling and slowed down. Moving back up, she found comfort with his lips on hers.

Following his earlier example, she treated him to the same. Unfortunately there was no more skin than his neck exposed, so the trail ended there. Feeling this was a part she was too unsettled with, Naroon unbuttoned his vest and the top of his shirt beneath.

Female fingers explored first before allowing her lips on the sensitive skin down his chest, with extra care around his scar.  
Naroon shifted somewhat on the sofa to a position where he could lean back some more. Renati responded by climbing further onto him, ending up on top.

His hands explored her side through the fabric of her skirt as far down as his arms reached. She noticed a reaction, so wondered.  
"It's in one piece", he admitted with a disappointed smile.  
Renati couldn't hold back a chuckle.  
"Yes it is, but yours isn't", she teased. She fully unbuttoned his shirt and stroke her fingers over his muscled body. It pleased him greatly to find her so _adventurous_.

Satisfied with her exploration of his upper body, but at a loss of what follows, she rested her body on his, slowing down the pace of the kisses.

"Naroon..", she moaned when he pressed his waist against hers in rolling to their side. His hand grabbed onto the skirt part of her dress, sliding it up gently. When uncovering the knee, he slowly slid his fingers under, stroking the outside of her thigh. He guided her leg around his waist for more comfort. She froze somewhat, but again he managed reassuring her all was well.  
"I just want to feel you", he spoke in Adrenato.

His hands slid up from her thighs back onto the fabric, over her side to her chest. Cupping her breast softly in his hand, he paused. Hormones were ranging, lust was building, but he swallowed. He had to control himself, it was forbidden. There were plenty of other things they could do, equally enjoyable.  
Why did his body keep longing for the impossible?

Suddenly a loud crackling noise followed by the entire room shaking broke away the magic. The 'quake' was short but very intense. Whatever decorations were on the walls fell off, several glasses broke and the reading candles on the table fell over.  
Reflexively Naroon had used himself to protectively cover Renati.  
"What was that?!?", she squeaked.  
Still coming tohis senses, Naroon wanted to give a reasonable answer, but then the smell of fire reached his nostrils.

"Fire! Let's get out!", he warned.  
"Fire? Where?", but then she smelled it too.  
"It's not here, but not far off", he spoke while getting his gear together. His tunic was buttoned up more quickly than it had come off. He was already by the door, dragging her along.

The hallway was filled with a light puff of smoke, indicating something probably happened on another level.  
"What happened Shai Alyt?", a confused Delenn appeared from around the corner, followed by Shakiri.  
"I'm not sure yet. A fire of some sort, probably from an explosion given the tectonic reaction. The question is was it intentionally or not?" , Naroon replied.  
"An explosion? Do you really believe so?"  
Naroon patched through instructions via his armguard during the conversation, the Tiris was only a jump point away.  
"I will go and investigate the matter and take care of an escort for you Satai", he urged.  
"I'm sure it will be an interesting investigation, bare-footed", Shakiri couldn't help remark.

Finally he had him! Naroon had slipped up and he knew it. Finally, the road to the downfall of his adversary had begun! Both without footwear, it confirmed the intimacy between them.  
Had she noticed? Did she comply?

Delenn's eyes switched from Naroon to Renati and back.

A Warrior and a Religious Caste?!

It was the time nor the place to worry about this. To his disappointment, Delenn ignored Shakiri's remark and move onwards.  
"I entrust you with my safety as I have before Shai Alyt", and followed him down the hallway to the pick up point.

* * *

Amelia grabbed what she could of the goods and carried them to her cargo bay The whole station was in disarray because of the explosion. Apparently there was a malfunction in the cleaning filter of the Minister of Foreign affairs' quarters. For reasons yet unknown, fuel vents had found their way to that compariment and were set alight by the spark of switching on the light.  
His and the adjacent quarters were blown away.

Amelia praised herself lucky she stayed on the employee level, three levels down.  
Poor man.

When moving the last crate of food from the barren freezes, she screamed for help.  
A man lay hidden behind the crates, covered in his own blood. From the looks of it, he was stabbed around the chest.  
"Chef Montparieux!", she gasped.

Footsteps approached from the corridor leading to the freezer section. With some strange sense of self-preservation, Amelia hid herself crouching between some unopened boxes in a far corner, away from the public eye.  
Two Hyachan employees yelped when noticing the man, leaving the room as quickly as they entered.

However, with that the commotion did not pass. Minutes later the dark-skinned woman Amelia recognised as her employer dashed in the room, anger on her face. The man tagging behind got a hard blow to the back of his head when the picture registered.  
"You idiot! Is this what you call traceless? I will have your head for this!"

* * *

**Footnotes**

(1) - Vim're _(Vik)_: Gotcha!

(2) - Dumo'bran _(Adrenato)_: Literally translates into 'Evening robe', but signifies a special type of robe in this case, worn by the Religious Caste on official affairs. It is customary for anything less than Master rank to wear these, some exceptions allowed of course.  
The dress is a simple one-piece clean cut dress, tight fitting and centred on the upper body, but widening from the waist down. The chest is mildly exposed. The colour and decorations depend per Family in the Caste and sometimes even differ regionally.  
Viewers of the series have a good reference to the dress from the green dress Ambassador Delenn wears towards the middle/end of the series

(3) - French for "Chef I have something for you"

* * *

**next Chapter: Varia, Varia!**

thank you for reading and commenting!


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